


In The Eye Of The Storm

by PandaTurtle333



Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms, The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Asthma, Eventual Romance, F/M, Mental Breakdown, Mental Health Issues, Mental Instability, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-05
Updated: 2018-09-06
Packaged: 2018-12-22 00:21:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 24
Words: 30,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11955792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PandaTurtle333/pseuds/PandaTurtle333
Summary: What was supposed to be an easy flight for Anna Wycoff turns into a nightmare when she suddenly finds herself fighting for her life. Set in the world of The Walking Dead, this story is about more than just survival. It is about coping with a history of mental illness in a world that is falling apart.





	1. Prologue

Anna Wycoff was perhaps the last person anyone would think to find in the middle of Georgia on a crisp, winter day, running down the street of an abandoned neighborhood that resembled what was probably once a delightful place to live. However, there she was, forcing her way into a two story, cookie-cutter house with a herd of the undead following the scent of her icy sweat, and the sounds of her thumping heart and huffing breathes.

Slamming the door behind her, Anna took the moment to pull her inhaler out of her pocket. She brought it to her lips to soothe the aching in her lungs made worse by the frigid air, but no medicine came out. She cursed, shaking it before trying again – still nothing. Anna looked on the back to find that her puff amount was now at zero.

“Shit.” She hissed, tossing the inhaler to the side.

Raising her arms, she clasped her hands behind her head and began to pace, taking long deep breaths. Anna muttered to herself, trying to calm down and come up with a plan of escape, but nothing came to mind. She could feel panic building up in the pit of her stomach, clenching her throat. But, now was not the time to lose her head.

Squaring her shoulders, she stood straight – her arms hanging firm at her sides. She stared hard at the opposite wall, fighting the tears that were building up behind her bottom lids.

“I. Am. Fine.” She seethed. Anna clenched her fists, focusing on her nails pushing into her palms. She felt like her head was underwater, and she could feel a few tears escape down her cheek.

_Escape. I need to escape_. A window shattered behind her, and Anna’s eyes snapped to a door that seemed tucked away from where she stood. Forcing her feet forward, she ripped the door open, and dashed out of the house and into the backyard. Without a second thought, Anna ran across the crunching dead grass and jumped onto the fence. The top of the wood panels scratched her palms as she used her momentum to swing her legs over to the other side. She let go too soon, however, and rolled her right ankle on the hard landing.

Biting back a scream of pain, she inhaled sharply through her nose. Anna rose and began jogging around a pool to a metal door that was placed in the ground. Pain seared up her leg, and her hand stung as air hit her palm. She didn’t bother glancing down – she didn’t have time to care if her palm had been sliced open on the fence. For the first time in what seemed like forever, she felt a bit of hope. Storm shelters provided safety from more than just dangerous weather. A growl came to her attention, and she turned her head in time to be tackled by a corpse.

She gasped as cold, muggy water hit her in the back. Her burning lungs filled with thick liquid. Anna struggled against her attacker blindly, eyes squeezed shut to prevent green and brown water from infecting them.

_Is this it?_ Anna thought to herself, feeling the hard floor of the pool press against her back, her ears popping from the water pressure. _Is this how I’m going to die?_


	2. Chapter One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anna takes a flight to visit her family in South Carolina. She meets Evan Magnus, a friendly man going to see his daughter before heading to Atlanta for business. Almost to their destination, their plane is ordered to land immediately in the Atlanta airport.

“Anna let’s go!”

Anna stood, slinging her backpack over her shoulder. She had to admit that she was rather excited to go to Myrtle Beach in South Carolina and visit her family. It had been a few years since they were able to get together and do something like this.

 Now, it seemed like she had all the time in the world, with college being finished for the summer. One more year and she could start making a name for herself as a writer. Her mother had constantly tried to push her towards a more conventional major while looking for universities, but Anna knew exactly what she wanted to be – happy. Maybe she wasn’t going to be rich, or even financially stable, but at least she was going to do what she loved. Hell, she could be homeless, but if she had a pad of paper and a pen, she’d be just fine – and her parents were perfectly okay with that.

Anna looked to her friend, Marley Herring, who would be dropping her off at the airport. “I’m coming. God, calm down.” Anna laughed, rolling her eyes. She settled into the passenger seat of her friends beat up, red, Dodge pick-up. The truck lurched forward and took off down their street, turning onto the main road. By the time they hit the highway, they had settled into the comfortable routine of singing along to the radio and shouting at idiotic drivers.

Once the song ended, the radio host began to talk about a mysterious infection that had been going around, and the strange occurrences of cannibalism that had been popping up all over the United States and other countries.

Marley turned the stereo down.

“So, you remembered your ticket?” She asked, glancing at Anna.

“Yes, Mom.” Anna teased.

An hour passed before the pair finally pulled up to the airport. Anna got her suitcase checked in at baggage claim and was prepared to go through security when she turned back to Marley. 

“I wish you were coming, too,” Anna groaned.

Marley shrugged.  “I do too, but I’ve got my own family stuff to deal with. You have fun, though, and say hello to your family for me.” The friends hugged before parting.

 

Marley sat in a waiting area that had a good view of Anna’s flight. She watched as the loading terminal retracted, and the plane began its slow journey down the run way before it picked up speed for take-off.

In the pit of her stomach, Marley felt a tangle of knots forming, and in the distance to her left, she heard a scream. Turning her head, Marley rose from her seat, the pain she felt in her abdomen burning now. She knew that it was her weird sense of foreboding, but she couldn’t quite place it – until a horde of people began to run in her direction. Pressing herself to the windows so she wouldn’t get trampled, Marley watched the large crowd of people pass her by in a panic. She knew she should run along with them until she could get herself to a safer place, but she wanted to know what they were running from.

The last few people began to pass her when another group of people came jogging through the lobby – but they looked a bit different. Marley took in the blood that ran down their fronts, and the portions of flesh that were missing. Lastly, she took in the two sets of empty, hollow eyes that noticed her solitary figure against the window and were now approaching her.

“Shit.”

 

The turbulence had been maddening to Anna. She hated planes, and it had been obvious to the passenger beside her as she clutched the seat belt around her torso for dear life.

“Don’t like flying?” the man asked as the plane leveled out in the sky and the seat belt sign turned off.

“Nope, I love flying – it’s the plane I don’t like,” she laughed.

The man beside her let out a chuckle.  “I’m Evan Magnus,” he held out his hand for Anna to shake.

“Anna Wycoff,” she replied, accepting the welcoming gesture.

Evan sat back in his seat, pulling down the tray.  “So, where are you headed, Anna Wycoff?”

“South Carolina.” She replied, doing the same. Evan raised his hand and pressed the call button for a stewardess. “I’m spending time with family. Where are you going?”

“Atlanta for business, stopping off in South Carolina to see my daughter.” A cheery and attractive stewardess appeared then to see what was needed. Evan ordered two waters and a bag of pretzels. Anna requested one as well, and the stewardess was off to fill the order. Evan turned to Anna, allowing himself to take in her appearance.

Anna Wycoff was young – old enough to drink. She had long brown hair, braided over her shoulder. Although her skin could be a beautiful tan, she was very pale for her complexion, which suggested that she didn’t go outside much. She wore a green jacket that was just a bit too large for her, – obscuring her figure – and faded blue jeans. Although he believed that you could tell a lot about a person by the shoes they wore, he couldn’t see what she was wearing on her feet.

What Evan hadn’t noticed was that Anna had already looked him over. A pale man, but rather freckled, so he probably went outside more than she did. Blonde hair, she had to squint to see the grey around his temples. His hazel eyes were surrounded by crows-feet, indicating a lot of laughter and smiles. Evan wore a white button up with a black tie; the blue blazer slung over his arm rest matched his pants. Even though she couldn’t see his shoes, she guessed that they were probably black dress shoes. Although he spoke of a daughter, Evan wasn’t wearing a wedding band.

 

Anna and Evan continued to talk, and it was clear that Anna was relaxing. Her grip loosened on her seatbelt until she let go entirely to snack on the pretzels. Three hours into the flight, Evan decided to make himself comfortable with an in-flight blanket and pillow to doze off.

Despite Anna’s reluctance towards not having a good distraction, she bid him a fair sleep and began to gaze out the window. Like she had said to Evan before, she was not afraid of flying – in fact she loved the sight and feeling of being above the clouds and far away from the troubles of the Earth. It was the metal tube that she distrusted – though she understood the mechanics of it. Sometimes, she’d dream of flying without the limitations of humanity; skirting her fingertips along water vapor, feeling the wind whip through her hair and across her face, and the sobering sting of the frigid air against her cheeks.

The thought of her favorite dream made her mind drift into an unconscious state of being. Not exactly asleep, but not exactly awake either, Anna began to see images of men running past her, their faces gaunt and pale. Bars obscured her vision; she watched as shaking hands grasped the cold metal, a few of the nails bloodied, as though they had been torn out. She could hear laughter echoing in her ears, and taste copper in her mouth.

Anna’s heart started racing and pounding against her chest, fear gripped her lungs, she couldn’t breathe. The bars began to shake violently, her whole body with it. She felt a hand on her arm. Unable to move, Anna gasped and opened her eyes, but the shaking wouldn’t stop.

Beside her was Evan, a worried look on his face. “Hey, you were having a nightmare.”

Anna shook her head and rubbed her face. “How long was I asleep? Are we there already?”

“No. The captain said that all flights were ordered to land immediately. We’re descending in Atlanta right now.” Evan replied, leaning back in his seat. He continued to watch Anna out of the corner of his eye, concern etched onto his profile. The plane continued through the turbulence as it neared the landing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little early, but I'm kind of extremely impatient. Please, leave some feedback and I hope you enjoyed!


	3. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I am so sorry these chapters are so late! I've recently moved and started a new job. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy! Leave a comment and let me know what you think :)

Anna had struggled through a slight panic attack until the plane came to a complete stop. While she and Evan waited for the stewardess to tell them they could exit the plane, Anna lifted her window blind. Outside she could see a large white tent and various soldiers.

“What’s going on?” a man closer to the front of the plane asked. Apparently, he had looked outside as well.

A soldier stepped into view at the front, picking up the phone the head stewardess used to give directions.

“I am Lt. Davis. Now, I need you all to remain calm and listen carefully.”

“Are we in danger?” cried an older woman on the other side of the aisle.

“No, ma’am, there is no danger. We just need you to exit the plane in an orderly fashion and form a line outside the white tent you’ll see outside.” Lt. Davis replied.

“What for?” someone called from the back.

“I’ll let the stewardess direct you to the exit.” Lt. Davis stated, handing over the phone and leaving the plane.

The older flight attendant, seeming quite shaken, began to inform the passengers that she would call them off by row. Soon, Anna was following Evan out and towards the tent. It felt like an excruciatingly long time before they made it to the entrance of what turned out to be a makeshift medical facility.   A soldier at the entrance stopped each person and asked them a question.

 “ID.” commanded the soldier. Evan handed over his ID and the officer proceeded to list off information from the card to a young woman standing to his right, tablet in hand.

“Alright, go over to the next available terminal. Next!” Evan squeezed Anna’s hand before heading over to a free hospital bed. “ID.”

Anna quickly fumbled for her drivers’ license and handed it over. While he called off her information, Anna peeked at his name tag. Hernandez… she didn’t know why her mind went back to her days at high school, but she could recall having a crush on a boy named Hernandez. He was a year younger than her, but you couldn’t tell by looking at him.

Anna’s eyes wandered over to another passenger being checked. It didn’t look like his results were good, considering the way the doctor walked over to what seemed to be the commanding officer of the medical tent. They whispered to each other before the passenger was escorted out of the tent by two soldiers carrying large guns.

“Ma’am,” Anna’s attention returned to Hernandez. He handed her ID card back.  “Go to the next available terminal.”  That was the one she had just watched be vacated.

It’s just your vitals…. she thought, walking over to the bed. She took a seat and removed her jacket to allow the doctor to put a blood pressure cuff around her right arm.

“Open your mouth, please.” She did as he said and looked over at Evan on the bed across and two down from her. He seemed to be answering questions the doctor was asking him as he had his vitals taken.

“Have you had any illnesses recently?” the doctor asked, drawing her attention back to him. Anna shook her head. “Have you come into contact with any sick people lately?” she shook her head again. “Alright, I’m going to need to take a blood sample.”

Needles…. She could feel her stomach twist at the thought. “What for – what’s going on?”

“Please, just give me your arm.” The doctor sighed, holding out his hand. She hesitated for a moment before holding out her arm. He wiped some disinfectant on her skin before poking her with the needle. She hissed and looked away.

Looking towards Evan’s terminal, she saw an old woman sitting in his place. He was gone. Is he done already? Anna wondered until a gut-wrenching thought came to her. What if they escorted him out? What happens to people who are escorted out? She couldn’t help but think the worst.

“Okay.” Anna whipped her head around to look at the doctor holding a vial of her blood. “You’re good to go.” The doctor plastered a well-rehearsed smile across his face, “Just stop by the desk at the end of the tent to get your wrist band.   It’ll let everyone know you’ve passed through here.”

Although she wanted to interrogate him as to what this was all about, she knew he wouldn’t spill. She grabbed her carryon and headed for the desk he had directed her towards.

“Name?” the woman sitting there asked.

“Anna Wycoff. Have you—” the woman cut her off by handing her a wrist band. She slipped it on, seeing her name printed on it. “Um, have you seen a man named Evan Magnus?”

The woman looked up at her, looking annoyed, before scanning her list of names. “Evan Magnus. You’ll probably find him at baggage claim. You’ll be told when you’re free to go, until then, stay at the airport. Now, move along.” She snapped. Anna nodded and left the tent quickly, searching for a familiar face.

“Anna!” Anna turned towards the voice and saw Evan jogging up to her.

“Evan! I thought maybe you didn’t get through.” Anna sighed, touching Evan’s arm to be sure he was real.

Evan smiled, “Me? I’m healthy as an ox.”

“Assuming the ox is healthy.” Someone said from behind Evan.

“Oh!” Evan turned and brought a man forward, “This is one of my business partners, Tyler Anderson –”

Tyler cut him off suddenly.  “You can call me Mr. Anderson.” Evan gave a short glare at Mr. Anderson before turning back to Anna. Anna took quick stock of the man before her. He was, perhaps, in his early 30s, with well combed black hair and brown eyes so dark she almost thought they were black. His smooth, pale face showed just how little amusement the man allowed in his life. He was thin, in a black and white business suit, his jacket held in his arms.

“ _Mr._ Anderson, this is Anna Wycoff – we met on the plane.”

Mr. Anderson scrutinized Anna carefully, making her feel like she was at a job interview. “A bit…,” he paused, seeming to choose his words carefully, “she’s a bit young for you, isn’t she?”

Evan choked back a laugh before shaking his head vigorously. “It’s not like that! God, she’s the same age as my daughter!” Mr. Anderson seemed to straighten at the mention of Evan’s daughter, and turned his eyes towards the medical tent to watch as a few more people came out. “Anyway, we should go see if our luggage has arrived,” Evan stated before heading off towards the airport’s main building.

As the trio neared the building, Evan chattered about the weather in Georgia. Mr. Anderson made snide comments here and there, showing his distaste for the heat. However, Anna found herself distracted. She looked every which way. trying to see what might have happened to the passengers who had not successfully passed through the tent.

“What do you think happened to them?” She asked suddenly, giving up in her search and staring straight ahead.

“Happened to whom?” Mr. Anderson asked.

Evan cleared his throat, holding the door open for them. Cool air hit Anna like a breath of fresh wind. She wasn’t a fan of winter, but she did not like standing in the smothering Georgia heat.

“The other passengers,” Anna clarified, slipping on her jacket, Mr. Anderson doing the same.

“They’re probably being treated.” Evan said, waving her concern off. “Come on, baggage claim is over here.”

It wasn’t long before they had reached the large crowd surrounding the conveyer belts and retrieved their luggage. Anna had lost sight of Mr. Anderson for a brief time before he returned to her side.

“The food court is on the third floor.” He said. The reminder of food made Anna’s stomach rumble.

“Well, I could eat. What about you?” Evan asked, his eyes on Anna as he rubbed his stomach, a goofy grin stretched across his face.

“Yeah.” She laughed.

 

After making it to the third floor and eating their fill, the three lingered over by the wall of windows that looked over the landing strips. Evan and Mr. Anderson spoke about the business meeting they were a few days early for, casually commenting on the idiosyncrasies of the other people they worked with. Anna stared out the window she was leaning against and watched as more and more people were directed off of planes, through the medical tents, and towards the main building.

As she watched, though, something caught her eye. Behind the tents, away from the view of the passengers below the third floor, were military transport trucks slowly filling with people. Anna’s brow furrowed in confusion and slight anger as she noticed that the soldiers ushering the people onto the trucks had their weapons drawn.

On the far left she saw one man fighting against his escort. When he finally broke away from the two soldiers, he began to run towards the crowd of people, his mouth open in a scream.


	4. Chapter Three

Time seemed to slow down as Anna witnessed the soldiers raise their guns at the man. She could hear the faint popping of the weapons fire, and watched as the man fell to the ground, blood misting through the wind from the exit wounds on his body.

The passengers who had just filed out of the medical tents began to scream, the gun shots louder for them than they were for her. A large crowd made their way towards the noise to see the man who had tried to flee lying there, dead. The group began to shout at the soldiers in rage, while the soldiers tried to ease the tension without any more use of force before a fight broke out.

All of this was like background noise for Anna as she stared at the man on the ground. A few minutes had ticked by since he had fallen, and blood began to pool around him. She watched as a woman knelt beside his body to check for a pulse. Anna knew she wouldn’t find one. So, why did the man jump up and grab the woman? Why was that man tearing into her flesh?

Why was Anna being tugged away from the window?

“Anna, we need to go!” Evan shouted. He began to drag Anna behind him as he followed Mr. Anderson to an exit.

Her senses seemed to have stopped working when she saw what had happened on the tar, but now they were hitting her at full force. She could hear screaming coming from all directions. She tightened her hold on Evan’s hand as fear began to grip her heart.

Mr. Anderson threw the door to the stairwell open, holding it long enough for Evan and Anna to squeeze in after him.  He slammed it shut, his breath coming in huffs, but his face remaining unemotional.

“What happened?” Anna asked, barely able to speak past the tightness in her chest. She dug through her carryon bag – a green canvas satchel – and pulled out her blue inhaler. She shook it hard and gave two puffs before leaning against the cold wall. “What the hell is going on?” she shouted.

“Anna, just calm down…,” Evan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Up or down?” he asked, more to himself than anyone else.

Mr. Anderson answered anyway. “Down – we can grab a taxi and head to my apartment.”

Evan nodded, and held his hand out to Anna, his face grim.

“I want to know what’s happening.” Anna pleaded.

“And I’ll tell you, let’s just get somewhere safe first, okay?” he soothed, his eyes begging her to just shut up and follow.

Hesitantly, Anna began to jog down the stairs, ignoring Evan’s offered hand.

 

By the time they reached the first-floor exit, chaos had broken out in the pickup lane. People were frantically trying to get a ride away from the airport, and cars were speeding past. Various pile ups had already started, and they all knew they wouldn’t be able to get a taxi.

They began to push through the crowd of terrified people. Eventually, Evan and Anderson ended up in front of Anna. She kept her eyes locked on their backs, afraid of losing track of them for even a second.

Suddenly, she felt something clutch her arm and yank her to the right. She let out a scream that was lost in the rest of the noise surrounding her. As she attempted to fight off her captor, she saw Evan and Anderson disappear further into the crowd. Her heart pounded in panic and she turned just in time for a fist to slam into her jaw. She yelped in pain.

“Let me go!”  She threw her free hand out towards whoever had hold of her. She was glad she hadn’t cut her nails when she felt skin give way under them.  Her assailant let out a howl, exchanging his grip on her arm to pull her by her hair.

Tears sprang up at the searing pain in her scalp. She dug her nails into the skin on the person’s wrist, kicking and screaming as he pulled her around a corner. Anna was thrown against the wall, her arm hitting the concrete hard. She groaned but rose from the ground. She looked towards the one who had brought her here.

He was a large man – if she had to guess, Anna would have said he was a wrestler, but for some reason she doubted he was. He had brown, thinning hair, and dark eyes – dark eyes that were trailing over her body. She shivered at the feeling of him looking at her.

Steeling herself, Anna looked around the area. The only way out was to get past him, and the only way to defend herself was a pipe that laid too far away for her to reach discretely. She knew for all the bulk the man carried, he would be slow, so she had to be fast, grab the pipe and aim for his head – anywhere else would only serve to make him angrier.

The man took a step forward and Anna darted towards the pipe. She wished that she was better at gauging people’s abilities, because the man managed to snag her ankles and trip her. She fell to the ground scraping her chin on the rough asphalt. She was close enough to the pipe that the tip of her fingers could brush against it, but she was unable to reach for it as the man flipped her over.

He placed a knee on each of her legs and held her down with his right hand against her chest.

His other hand found its way to her waist and began to undo her pants.


	5. Chapter Four

Squeezing her eyes shut to keep the tears back, Anna brought her right hand up to his face and began to dig her thumb into his eye. He abandoned his work on her pants to try and rip her hand away, only for her left thumb to hook into his other eye. He let out a shout of pain as he tried to pry her hands free from his face.

She could feel more pressure on her left leg, giving her the chance to free her right leg and bring it up into the man’s crotch. He yelped and jumped away from her. She rolled onto her stomach and crawled towards the pipe before staggering to her feet.

Anna turned in time to see him charging, and she raised the pipe. She swung and landed a hit right against his ear, leaving him disoriented long enough for her to give one more whack to knock him out, she limped away while replacing her pants zipper and button as she went.

 

She skirted the wall, avoiding the still growing crowd of frantic people, but she slowly began to realize that quite a few of them were attacking the others.

“What the hell?” she mumbled, staring wide eyed as a woman dragged a man down and began to tear into his flesh.

On instinct, Anna took a step forward, wanting to help the man, but she stopped as the woman’s head snapped up to look at her. As the woman rose to her feet and stumbled towards her, Anna felt like her heart was in her throat. She looked the woman over, saw the blood that ran down her front, the chunk of flesh that was missing in her arm, the dead of her eyes.

Anna’s heart began to race as she was yanked to the left and away from the woman. On reflex, Anna lashed out, striking whoever had grabbed her in the cheek.

“Anna!” shouted the person. She turned to see Evan rubbing his cheek, pulling her along. “Anderson found us a car, we need to hurry!”. Just ahead Anna could see Anderson sitting in the drivers’ seat of a tan pinto.

Evan ripped the passenger door open and shoved Anna inside before hopping in himself. Anna crawled her way to the back and began to nurse her leg as the car lurched forward. Anderson sped out of the havoc, skillfully dodging every obstacle.

 

Despite his earlier display of driving ability, Anderson found it difficult to navigate the chaos of the city streets to his apartment, so the three opted to make the last few blocks on foot. Evan began to sift through the pinto as Anderson got out, pulling his seat forward for Anna.

As she slid over to get out of the cramped car, her aching foot bumped against something solid. She reached down and pulled out a black gun.

“9mm Beretta…,” Anderson observed. Evan snatched the gun from Anna’s hands and jumped out of the car.

“It’s only missing one bullet.” Evan stated after examining the clip.

“Too bad we don’t have time to search the car some more.” Anderson said, nodding in the direction they had come from. Evan and Anna turned to see a large group of people running towards them, followed by an even larger group of people who seemed to be chasing them.

Evan slipped the clip back into the gun, “Time to go.” Evan s grabbed Anna’s hand – not wanting to get separated from her again.

As they hurried away, Anderson took note of Anna’s limping. He turned into an ally and grabbed the gun from Evan.

“Carry her.” Anderson said, and continued through the ally.

Evan looked at Anna, who merely gestured to her leg. Without another word, Evan scooped her up and they caught up with Anderson. Anna couldn’t help but wonder if Anderson even knew how to use that gun.

 

By the time they had reached Anderson’s street, the sun was beginning to set. The three had only run into five delays with people and the creatures, proving to Anna just how good of a shot Anderson was.

Once they reached Anderson’s building, they made their way up the stairs to the sixth level and into the apartment.

“Make yourself useful, Magnus, and barricade the door with the dining table.” Anderson said as he disappeared down the hall. Evan sighed and set her down on the couch before he set to work. Anderson returned shortly with a first aid kit and began to examine her leg.

“What happened?” he asked, his eyes scanning her ankle for swelling.

“It’s not my ankle, it’s my knee mostly.” Anna muttered. She saw the faintest of blushes on Anderson’s cheeks before he stood up and pointed at the hall he had come from.

“At the end of the hall is my bedroom – in the top drawer of my dresser is a pair of shorts. Go put those on and I’ll look at your knee.” Anna nodded and hobbled down the hall.

 

Anna made quick work of changing into some shorts and took some time to look around Anderson’s room. It was very neat, and somewhat plain. His bed was made up with a grey comforter, there was a desk in the corner with a black computer and frames lining the walls with no pictures in them, but what looked like awards and certificates. On his nightstand was a black, triangular frame, with a golden plaque and the United States flag inside.

“Sit down. You shouldn’t be standing on a bad leg.” Anna jumped a little at Anderson’s sudden presence but did as commanded. He knelt in front of her and resumed his examination of her leg before he wrapped an ace bandaged around it. “I’ll give you some pain medicine.”

Anna nodded, watching as Anderson left. She fell back on his bed, closing her eyes and replaying everything that had happened since getting off that plane. She wondered if it was the same everywhere else, if her family was safe, if Marley was. What the hell is happening?


	6. Chapter Five

Anna breathed deeply, opening her eyes to a vaguely familiar room. She allowed her gaze to wander slowly over the framed awards and certificates, and to the framed flag, the golden plaque at its base engraved with “SSG Torrance Anderson – Warrior Citizen – In appreciation for your faithful military services. Your selfless sacrifice and excellent performance of duty are reflective of the Army’s Warrior Ethos. Your Patriotic service as a true “Warrior Citizen” will never be forgotten.” LTG Jack C. Stultz, Chief, Army Reserve.”

“Oh good, you’re awake!” Anna’s heart jumped in her chest at the sudden noise. She looked to the door to see Evan Magnus standing there, a grin spread across his face. He was holding a glass of water. Anna sat up, accepting the glass and taking a long swig, grimacing at the way the water washed over her teeth.

“We have an extra toothbrush for you.”

Anna nodded, palming the glass in her lap.  “Thank you.” She stared at the space on the bed in front of her. She could feel Evan watching her.  “I know you guys didn’t have to drag me along, you could have just left me at the airport.”

Evan sighed as he sat down on the bed in front of her, gently so as not to jostle her wounded leg.

“We were headed to South Carolina, but we landed in Atlanta – I assume there was no one at the airport to pick you up?”  She shook her head slowly, taking another sip of water.

“You would have been alone. I couldn’t allow that.” There was a long pause, in which Anna could vaguely hear a radio in the distance. “What happened to your chin? The cut.” Evan asked. A confused look crossed Anna’s face and she brought her hand up to meet the throbbing in her chin.

Her chest tightened as she finally began to process what had occurred – almost occurred – yesterday.

“I…, he….” She opened and closed her mouth, attempting to find the words to explain. Anna shook her head forcefully, giving herself a headache as she willed herself not to cry. “A man…, grabbed me. I fought back, and he threw me on the ground.” She clamped her mouth shut, and brought a hard stare up to Evan’s face, willing him to understand that she wasn’t ready to talk about it any further.

She could see that Evan had stopped breathing for a moment, and his face began to turn red. “Did he—”

“No.” Anna cut him off, ready for the conversation to be over. Evan nodded, finally letting out the breath he’d been holding. His face remained scarlet as he left Anna alone.

She let out a heavy sigh, rubbing a hand down her face, wincing as she pressed down on the cut. Anna wished she could forget the look in the man’s eyes…, she wondered what was going through his head, why he had chosen her of all people, why he had chosen to risk his life just to take advantage of the situation… of her. _No._ she thought, slapping her hand against her cheek with a soft clap. _I didn’t let that happen. I won’t let that happen… not again. Never again._ She focused on the dull throbbing of her cut as she drank the rest of the water, contemplating the predicament she now found herself in.

Rising from the bed, she carefully shut the door for privacy so that she could change back into her jeans.

“Okay…,” she began to mutter. “I’m in an unfamiliar city, with complete strangers, whose intentions I’m not sure of, and the dead are coming back to eat people. I’m mildly injured, considerably defenseless, and locked in an apartment with two men who could very easily overpower me if they so desired….” Anna settled her feet into her boots and tied them, unwilling to be barefoot in a stranger’s home. “What do I do?”

Her attention was finally drawn to the closet tucked into the corner. 

“Obviously, rummage through their stuff.” Anna limped over to the closet, and began pushing through the button-downs, blazers and slacks. She admired the running shoes, the hiking boots and the very expensive looking dress shoes. The closet shelf above her head held two labelled boxes and a suitcase. Using the rolling desk chair as a step-stool may not have been the wisest choice, but it was her only option. She gingerly stood on the leather seat, bracing herself on the shelf to keep from wobbling too much.

The first box, labeled receipts, held just that – receipts. She quickly thumbed through each one, not quite sure what she thought she might find. All were purchases from various stores for shoes, work attire, food, electronics, hiking and running gear. Nothing out of the ordinary, as far as she was concerned.

The next box was labelled photographs. This one was slightly larger than the first, and seemed well used, as if someone opened and closed it often. Anna took it back to the bed and began to rifle through the pictures. Some were old photographs from when the camera was first invented, some were clearly family photos of school plays, sports, awards, graduations. She could very clearly identify Tyler Anderson in many of the photos – most of which he still donned his stoic expression. The ones in which he was smiling were the ones that caught Anna’s eye the most.

In a few, Anderson was standing with a girl that looked almost exactly like him. Sometimes, the two were joined by a grinning, gap-toothed blonde boy – on the back of these photos were the names Tyler, Torrance and Evan. Anna looked back to the flag on the nightstand, realizing that Torrance was Anderson’s sister.

Returning to analyzing the photos, Anna found pictures of Evan and Anderson older, perhaps just out of college. Evan on his wedding day, Anderson standing beside him as Best Man. Evan with his arms wrapped around a woman standing beside an uncomfortable looking Anderson while Torrance laughed. Evan and the woman with a baby, Anderson with that baby – genuinely smiling. There were many pictures of Anderson playing with a little brown-haired girl - including a few of the two having a tea party, Anderson grimacing in a tiara and make-up clearly done by the toddler.

There was nothing incriminating in this box, and so, Anna returned it to the shelf. She quickly glanced inside the suitcase and saw it completely empty, before returning the chair to the desk and beginning a search through the dresser, nightstand and desk, checking for false bottoms, and still nothing abnormal came up, not even a locked drawer.

The final place she could think of was under the bed, and so she got down on her hands and knees to peer under.

“Ahem.” Anna squeaked, startled at the sudden intrusion. “What are you doing?”

Sitting up, Anna saw Anderson standing in the now open door.

“I…, thought I dropped something…, can’t find it, so I guess I didn’t. Did you need something?” she asked, dusting herself of imaginary dirt as she rose to her feet.

“There is breakfast in the kitchen, if you’re hungry. Evan laid out some towels for you, in case you wanted to bathe.”

“Um…, thank you.”

Anderson watched her for a moment, saying nothing, clearly evaluating her. Anna began to fidget uncomfortably, wanting nothing more than to just disappear if it meant he would stop looking at her with that appraising glare of his.

“When you’re ready, I will look at your knee, again.” He stated pointedly as he turned on his heel and walked back to the kitchen, shutting the door behind him as he left.

Anna let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding and took one last glance around the room before heading to the washroom to clean up.

 

A little over an hour later, Anna was clean, full, and back in shorts as Anderson knelt in front of her, carefully inspecting her leg. They were quiet as he poked and prodded, asking the normal questions here and there, her hissing at the slightest pain. He adjusted the bandage around her knee before disappearing briefly into the bathroom, returning with an adjustable knee brace.

“Did you find anything interesting?” he asked, almost too casually, as he made the proper adjustments to the brace so that it wouldn’t slide or hurt her further.

Anna’s face began to heat, knowing exactly what he was asking. “I’m sorry, I just thought –”

Anderson looked up at her, his expression unreadable.  “It’s alright – that was a smart thing to do.” Anna contorted her face in confusion.  “You don’t know me or Evan.  We can’t assume you would just trust us immediately because we were willing to bring you with us.”

Anna continued to watch as Anderson rose from his position in front of her.  “Have you guys heard anything on the news?”

“Nothing too helpful. The government wants everyone to head to their nearest safe-zone – for us, that would be Atlanta.” Anderson responded, rounding the bed to crouch beside it. He reached under the bed, placing a hiking backpack on top of the comforter. “I have a satellite phone if you would like to attempt to reach your family – cell phones seem to have a lot of trouble making any sort of connection.” he said, rummaging through the bag before producing a bulky orange and black phone. Anna nodded as she took the phone from his offering hand, careful not to touch him.

Anderson left without another word, shutting the door behind him. Anna turned the phone on, watching the display as she punched in her mother’s phone number. She held the phone to her ear, biting the dead skin off her bottom lip. The phone rang a few times before she received a dial tone and the automated message that the number she was trying to reach was unavailable. She hung up, cursing under her breath, and dialed her father’s number. A few rings later and she received the same automated message. Her heart rose to her throat as tears began to well up in her eyes, blurring her vision while she dialed her brothers’ number. _– We’re sorry, the number you are trying to reach is unavailable. Please leave a message after the tone. –_ Anna sucked air in through her teeth, trying desperately not to cry out as she punched in Marley’s number. _– We’re sorry, the number you are trying to reach is unavailable. Please leave a message after the tone. –_

Anna hung up just as the tone sounded. She didn’t even know what she would say. _Hey, my face hasn’t been eaten yet. I’m not one of them. Please…, just tell me you’re safe._ Anna couldn’t hold back anymore, gasping violently as the tears streamed down her face. Her hands shook, she pushed the buttons down, dialing them all again, begging for any of them to answer.

_– We’re sorry, the number you are trying to reach is unavailable. Please leave a message after the tone. –_


	7. Chapter Six

It had been almost two months since the initial outbreak. Anna, Anderson, and Evan had remained at the apartment long enough for Anna’s knee to heal to a point where she would be able to run, and for the group to put a plan together. They decided that leaving the city was the best option; they would make their way to South Carolina to get Anna and Evan back to their families.

The men spent a lot of time teaching Anna self-defense and the basics of hunting. She took quickly to the guns, she struggled a bit with hand-to-hand combat due to her lack of exercise before, and she wasn’t very fond of hunting – preferring instead to learn which berries were safe to eat – but, despite her distaste for that activity, she did learn how to do it.

Now, the three were setting up camp in a clearing they had come across in their trek through the woods. They had fallen into a routine, each having a specific job to do.  Evan put up the tent, Anderson put up a protective perimeter, and Anna gathered firewood. After their tasks were finally finished, they’d gather around the camp fire – kept low to avoid being spotted – and had a meager meal.

“We’re going to need to make a run into the city.   We need some more supplies.” Anderson stated, taking a bite from the rabbit leg in his hands. “I have a list of what we need and where to find it, so it shouldn’t take us too long.”

Evan nodded, swallowing a mouthful of his own rabbit leg. 

“Will you be okay for a few hours, Anna?” Evan asked, still not keen on leaving her alone since she had told them of what had nearly happened at the airport.

Anna nodded, but the uneasy look on her face didn’t go unnoticed by Anderson.

“We’ll only be gone for a few hours tomorrow.  Just stay in camp and you should be safe.” He tried to reassure her.

Evan agreed.  “You’ll have a gun, and you’ve always got your knife.” Anna looked down at the knife tucked in her boot. It was barely the length of her hand, and she did not want to think about getting so close to a walker, as they had taken to calling them, to have to use it.

“Alright.  I’ll take first watch.” Evan declared.

Anna took her leave and entered the tent. It was rather small, barely fitting two people at a time. She didn’t bother removing her boots as she curled up on top of her sleeping bag, tucking herself into her jacket before she took out the notebook Evan had brought back from a supply run for her. She stared at what she had already written, chewing on her top lip.

In her high school psychology class, she had learned that when you lose someone you slowly forget what they look like. When she realized she had forgotten what her mother had smelt like, Anna had a slight emotional break; she had cried and refused to eat for three days, and she was still sulking. When her companions had decided it was safe to speak to her, she had told them she was forgetting her family. Having learned she was writer, this prompted Evan to make a supply run and bring back a notebook so that she could write down every detail she did remember of her friends and family.  That way, she wouldn’t forget anything else.

Now, Anna had taken to reading over everything she had written, to imagine her loved ones in her head before she went to sleep – and if she was lucky, she’d dream of them.

 

Anderson stood beside Evan, staring out into the dark. To most people Anderson appeared to be an emotionless man. However, Evan had known him for the majority of his life, and he could tell when his friend was worried.

“What’s wrong?” Evan asked, finally breaking the silence.

Anderson knew he couldn’t brush off Evan’s concern and say there was nothing wrong, because something had been plaguing him since that day at the airport – only, he had no idea how to broach the topic with Evan. So, he remained stoic.

“It’s about Anna, isn’t it?” Evan guessed. Anderson sighed, nodding. He knew Evan didn’t lash out very often, but he couldn’t help but fear his friend’s reactions.

“Why?” Anderson asked, refusing to look at Evan. “Why do you keep her around? Doesn’t it hurt?” he wouldn’t pretend to understand how other people felt – he barely understood his own feelings at times.

“It does… but it would hurt worse if I didn’t know she was safe.” Evan replied, crossing his arms over his chest. Anderson nodded – now, that he could understand.

Anderson rubbed the back of his neck, squinting at the trees. 

“You sure you don’t want me to take first watch?”  He asked. Evan shook his head, waving his offer off. Anderson nodded once before heading to the tent.

Once inside, he flopped down onto his sleeping bag, one hand behind his head, the other across his stomach. He looked over at Anna, curled up with her back to him. Her even breathing assured him she was asleep. _Yeah…_ Anderson thought, _I can understand that worry…_


	8. Chapter Seven

Anna rolled over to see that she was alone in the tent, sunlight piercing through the fabric walls and giving her a headache. She rubbed the heel of her hands into her eyes in an attempt to fight off sleep. She forced herself up, running her tongue along her teeth, grimacing at the taste.

She rummaged through her bag and pulled out a toothbrush and some toothpaste. She unzipped the tent and stumbled out. Evan and Anderson were sitting around the extinguished fire munching on some energy bars in silence.

“Morning, sleeping beauty!” Evan greeted. Anna had realized quickly that Evan was a morning person, and while she liked the guy, she couldn’t help but glare at him when he was so chipper. “We’re leaving in thirty, are you sure you’ll be okay?” Evan asked. Anna grumbled, waving her hand to indicate she would be fine before snatching up the water bottle that had been waiting for her, thanks to Anderson.

Anna was quick at adapting to her environment, so she was only frustrated at the lack of running water for a few minutes. She squeezed some toothpaste into her mouth before sipping up some water and scrubbing her teeth with the toothbrush. Once she had finished with that, she sat beside the fire pit and began to engage in conversation with the other two while combing her fingers through her hair.

“Do you think you’ll run into any problems?” she asked, making a disgusted face at her fingers when they came out of her hair with various greasy, brown strands.

Anderson was the first to reply.  “I doubt it, but we’ll keep our guard up.”

Evan nodded, digging the toe of his boat into the dirt, “You need anything while we’re out?” he asked, glancing over at Anna, who simply shook her head with a smile.

 

Thirty minutes had passed quickly, and Anna found herself alone in camp. It wasn’t the first time she had been left behind during a supply run – the men refused to take her into the city – so, she went about her routine of cleaning herself with baby wipes, gathering the trash around camp, and checking the perimeter.

It wasn’t long before she found herself without anything to do, so she decided to head down to a stream she remembered passing a few days ago. She plucked a small bottle of a shampoo/conditioner mix from her bag and headed out with her knife tucked in her boot and her gun drawn in her right hand – if she was anything, she was cautious.

Anna reached the stream in no time and began to scrub her hair clean, alert of her surroundings. Her heart always pounded when she risked going anywhere alone. If Evan and Anderson knew that she wandered around the woods while they were on supply runs, they would have tied her to a tree or something – which would have proved useless, as she was oddly adept at untying knots.

Reaching down to rinse the suds from her scalp, she heard a high-pitched growl to her left. Anna straightened quickly, fumbling for the gun she had tucked into her jeans, cursing as the shampoo/conditioner mix seeped into her eyes. Aiming the gun towards the sounds of an approaching walker, Anna tried to wipe her eyes clear. The world was bright and blurry as she was knocked to the ground, the gun falling from her hands.

“Shit! Shit!” Anna pushed back on the heavy body atop her, blindly trying to avoid the snapping jaws of the corpse. She knew if she risked reaching for her knife, she’d lose this fight. So, Anna did the only thing she could do – improvise.

Bringing her knee up into the walker’s stomach, she forced them to roll over. Anna held its arms down with her hands, straddling it. Her vision slowly cleared, and she could see she was facing down a young blonde – about her age. Anna saw her gun close by and reached for it. The blonde took this chance to knock Anna off. Anna scrambled to her feet, only to be pushed back to the ground. She held tight to her gun this time and brought it up to the corpse’s chin.

“I’m sorry,” she breathed, squeezing her eyes shut as she pulled the trigger.

 

The gun shot was still ringing in her ears as she returned to camp. Anna felt numb as she entered the tent and collapsed onto her sleeping bag, her hand still gripping the gun. She stared at the tent ceiling.

She’d killed a few walkers before today, but this was different. This one was her age, and – aside from the blonde hair – looked far too much like her friend, Marley.

Anna hadn’t wanted to think about the possibility of her best friend being dead, or worse – one of those _things_.  Now, she was faced with the very _real_ and very _painful_ thought; everyone she had cared for – her friends, her family – could be gone.

Tears began to pour from her eyes, her chest burning and her stomach churning severely. Anna allowed strangled sobs to erupt from her mouth. Shaking violently, she sat up and brought the gun to her temple, her finger hovering over the trigger. Visions of the last time she had seen Marley and her family flooded her mind. She could remember a night that seemed so long ago, Marley holding her, comforting her, coaxing her down from her episode. _“You aren’t done yet.”_

“Anna!” She dropped the gun, blinking rapidly, delirious. “Anna!” that was Anderson. She wiped the tears off her face and crawled out of the tent. She saw Anderson entering the camp, looking over his shoulder frantically, dragging Evan behind him.

“What happened?” she asked, reaching back to grab her gun, noticing the small group of walkers that were trailing behind them.

Anderson dropped Evan gently beside the fire pit, turning back to the walkers. “Stay with him!” he ordered. Anna nodded, kneeling beside her friend. She looked him over, taking in the blood that was staining the side of his shirt.

“Evan?” Anna placed her hand on his cheek. He stared up at her, a soft smile on his face.

“I’m okay.” He whispered, taking her hand. She shook her head, looking up in time to see a walker approaching. She fired a shot, hitting it in the middle of his face and dropping him. Anderson made quick work of the others, before returning to Evan’s side.

“He was shot.” Anderson stated, lifting him slightly, gesturing for Anna to grab his legs. “In the tent.” They laid him down on one of the sleeping bags, “First aid kit, in my bag.” Anna retrieved it without a sound. “You may want to leave.” He suggested, pulling out a knife and tearing open Evan’s shirt.

“No – I’ll be fine.” She protested.

“Anna, there may have been more walkers behind us, and this is going to be loud. I _need_ you to go outside and keep watch.” Anderson said firmly. Anna bit her lip, snatching an orange pill bottle from her bag as she left. She clutched her gun in her hands, eyes trained on the tree line, trying to ignore Evan’s muffled screams. She took one of the small blue tablets from the bottle and popped it into her mouth. Now was no time to lose her head.

 

It was an hour before Anderson emerged from the tent. Anna had only seen a few walkers and she had quickly taken them out with her knife, not wanting to attract any more. Anna waited patiently for Anderson to tell her how Evan was, and what exactly had happened. He said nothing, didn’t even look at her.  After a few minutes of this, she started to get pissed off.

“Well?” she asked, her irritation obvious. Anderson sat down beside the fire pit, digging through his breast pocket before pulling out a lighter and a pack of cigarettes. He placed the stick between his lips before lighting it. He breathed in deeply, his bloody hands surprisingly steady as he removed the cigarette and exhaled a cloud of smoke.

“He’ll be fine.” Anna let out a trembling breath. “We’ll need to keep an eye on him, but he’ll be okay.” Anna nodded, “I need to go back into the city.”

Anna narrowed her eyes at Anderson, “Why?”

Anderson sighed, taking another drag of his cigarette. 

“I don’t have all the necessary supplies I need for Evan’s wound.”

"If you don’t get the _necessary supplies_?” she asked, failing to keep the venom out of her words.

“The wound will most likely get infected, Evan will get sick, suffer horribly, and then die.” Anderson said it almost casually, as if he were commenting on the weather.

Anna stared, horrified. “You said he would be _fine_.” She hissed.

“I’m not a doctor Anna…,”

She crossed her arms over her chest, trying to calm down. She knew Anderson had just as much to lose – if not more – as she did if Evan didn’t make it.

“Do you have any idea where you can get what you need?”

Anderson nodded, “The hospital for sure, or a medical supply store.”

“How long does he have without it?”  She asked, and he shrugged his shoulders, something she had never seen him do before.  “Can you make a guess?” she pushed.

“A week – _maybe_.” He said, taking another drag. “It’s almost night time. If I want to make it back at all, I’ll have to wait and leave tomorrow morning.”

Anna nodded, remaining silent as Anderson started a low fire. This was going to be a long night.


	9. Chapter Eight

It had been three days since Anderson had left for the city, and it would have been an understatement to say that Anna was worried.  She spent a majority of her time tending to Evan, who only seemed to be getting worse. His wound had gotten infected, despite her constantly cleaning and redressing it.

Currently, she was trying to get a delirious Evan to eat, but he kept pushing the food away, mumbling something about a crock-pot. Anna huffed in frustration, cursing Anderson under her breath. Why hadn’t he returned yet? _Did he ditch us?_ She thought bitterly. She glanced over at Evan, who was now smiling at a bug crawling along the tent wall. _Survival of the fittest…._ Anna shook her head and tried once more to get Evan to eat.

 

In the city was an entirely different situation. At that moment, Anderson was stuck inside a convenient store, waiting for a large group of corpses to pass by. He had found it rather difficult to get anywhere near the hospital, so he opted to go for a medical supply store – which, alone, took a day and a half to locate. Now that he had what he needed, he had to get out of the city and back to Evan.

            This wasn’t the first time Evan was depending on him, and he hated the thought of failing him again. _Not again…._ He thought, checking for the forty-seventh time that he had everything in his backpack.

_"Uncle Tyler!” a little girl with curly brown hair launched herself at Anderson. He quickly scooped her up in his arms and spun her around, a smile spread across both of their faces – a stark contrast to his usual demeanor._

            Anderson shook himself from the memories and glanced outside. He cursed under his breath when it became obvious the walkers weren’t going to be moving anytime soon.

 

Evan stared up at the tent ceiling, watching the light grow dimmer. He had just woken, with sweat pouring down his face. For a moment, he thought that maybe it was all a dream, a hellish nightmare. He could have sworn he was just talking to his daughter – that she was trying to get him to eat something. But, that couldn’t be right. She was dead, they were all dead. His ex-wife was dead, Anderson was dead, _she_ was dead.

He began to choke on his sobs. He cried out, his emotional pain so strong he could feel it on a physical level – more specifically, in his side; it felt like he’d been shot.

“God!” he screamed, gripping his side.

A figure came into view, hovering over him. A woman.

“Baby?” he asked, reaching up to touch the woman’s face. “Is that my baby girl?”

“Evan, it’s me, Anna.”

Evan shook his head and smiled.  “I’ll be with you real soon, princess…”  He coughed, covering his mouth so he didn’t get his little girl sick. He drew his hand away and saw blood sprinkled along his palm. He smiled back up at her “…  We’ll roast marshmallows in the fireplace, momma will make your favorite; chocolate muffins, and I can laugh as Uncle Tyler has a tea party with you.”

 

Anna stared at the dying man before her. She knew that he didn’t have long without Anderson here, and she couldn’t help the hatred that built up in the pit of her stomach. This was Anderson’s best friend – his _dying_ best friend – and he wasn’t here. He abandoned him, abandoned both of them.

“Okay…, Daddy.” She nodded, smiling sadly at her friend. If he wanted to believe that she was his daughter, then who was she to deny him that? She didn’t know if his daughter was even still alive. “Rest now,” she whispered, loosening the grip she hadn’t realized she’d had on his hand. He nodded off, that goofy grin spread across his face, a trickle of blood running from the corner of his mouth.

She wiped the blood away as delicately as she could before she rose from his side and exited the tent. Anna stood outside, staring into the woods but not seeing. She had nearly had a heart attack when she heard Evan crying out, she had clutched at her chest trying to calm her palpitations. Now, all she wanted to do was rip her heart out, so she could stop feeling.

Thoughts of Anderson’s betrayal filled her mind. She bit back her scream of rage as she kicked the can of beans she had just been eating. Falling to the ground, Anna clutched her head and allowed the tears to flow freely, and the sobs to wrack through her body. Later she would think how tremendously lucky she was that there weren’t any walkers near enough to hear her emotional break.

If she ever saw Tyler Anderson again, she’d kill him.


	10. Chapter Nine

She’d kill him. Anna swore she would kill him. She thought it through over and over again in her head, could imagine every detail of what she would do to Tyler Anderson.

She thought of different scenarios in which she would see him again – if she survived alone. She nodded her head as she thought of each movement she’d make, estimated his reactions – she could feel blood pumping through her veins like ice – the adrenaline. The thought of ending the man’s life was the _only_ thing keeping her alive now. Her family could be dead, her friends – she had nothing, no one.

Anna paced in front of the tent, bringing her hand up to her mouth to roll her top lip between her index finger and thumb. Thinking about all of that could wait. She needed to keep digging.

Her fingers curled around the small shovel Evan had once brought back on a supply run. Her bottom lip began to tremble as she shoved the business end of the shovel into the dirt. 

“Damn it.” She murmured as tears spilled down her face.

 

_Anna entered the tent, planning on getting Evan to eat again. She found that if she called him daddy, pretending to be his daughter, she had more luck._

_“Hey….” Anna smiled, kneeling beside her friend. “It’s time to eat, daddy.”_

_Evan gave her a sad smile, shaking his head._

_“Anna…,” Her smile grew at the thought that maybe he was getting better. “I don’t want you wasting any more food on me.” The statement caused her face to drop. Opening her mouth to protest, Evan held his hand up weakly._

_“Don’t argue.” He coughed suddenly, blood spraying out into the hand that went to cover his mouth. “I just want you to listen, okay?” Anna shut her mouth, letting out a frustrated huff before complying. “Anderson isn’t going to come back in time.” Anna bit the inside of her cheek, holding back her comments. “He’s going to be very upset when he does return. Just… be patient with him. Okay?” Anna didn’t reply. “There’s just one more thing I need you to do for me….” He struggled to unclasp a bracelet from around his wrist. “I need you to give this to him… tell him to remember what he promised me – he’ll understand.”_

 

 _He’ll understand…._ She sneered at the thought. _What the fuck does it matter if he understands? I don’t understand! Why did he leave us?_ Her mind continued to wander as she dug further into the earth.

“Because, he’s an asshole.” She snapped.

Behind her, inside the tent, came a rustling. She turned slowly, her eyes wide and brows furrowed in confusion.

“Evan?” Anna called hesitantly. The rustling grew more urgent at the sound of her voice. Her heart began to race in blind joy. She dropped the shovel and launched herself at the opening of the tent, making quick work of unzipping the entrance.

“Evan!” she smiled broadly, fully prepared to wrap her arms around her friend, when she felt the air leave her.

 

 

 _How the hell did I end up here, with this man, in a fucking tank?_ Anderson could not believe his luck – or lack of. He had been heading out of the city, _finally_ , when a man on a horse came bounding down the street, leading a horde of walkers.

Anderson would have left that man behind. _I should have._ If it weren’t for the fact that they were both surrounded, he would have kept going, returned to Anna and Evan, saved his best friend. However, now the two men were trapped inside of a tank.

Rummaging through his back-pack, Anderson checked over the medical supplies to ensure that none of it was broken – a single bottle of liquid morphine was the only casualty.

“Were you here for the Refugee Center, too?” Anderson snorted, looking up at his companion. “Then why?” He remained silent, zipping up his bag and tucking it behind him, as far from the stranger as possible. “My name is Rick Grimes. I’m a Sherriff’s Deputy.”

“Was.” Anderson stated. Rick gave him a confused look. “You _were_ a Sherriff’s Deputy. That life is over now.” Rick nodded his head in deep thought when the radio began to hiss.

“Hey! Are you alive in there?”

 

 

She hit the ground hard on her back.

“What are you doing?”  She cried, trying to push Evan off her. “Get off!”

The world around her stopped as Evan reared back, letting out an inhuman roar. Without thinking, Anna reached out, grabbing the first thing she could touch – the shovel – and whipped it across Evans face, slicing his cheek open. He fell back before stumbling to his feet, not feeling the wound she had inflicted. Anna desperately scrambled for her gun.

On her feet, Anna aimed the gun at her friend. 

“Evan! Please, just stop!” she cried, the tears falling freely. “Please!” He drew closer to her, his eyes hungry. “Evan!” Her hands shook, the gun unsteady, her heart pumping ice through her veins and thudding in her ears, but all she could truly hear was Evan – growling. “Please….”

His forehead split, a sharp edge poking out like a horn. He fell forward, no longer moving. Anna dropped to her knees, staring at what was once her friend, lying motionless in front of her.

She heard a twig break. Barely able to draw the strength to look up, she locked eyes with a new face.


	11. Chapter Ten

“You killed him!” the girl shouted, launching herself at Daryl – not registering the fact that he had just saved her life. “You bastard!” She began to pound her fists against his chest until he grabbed her wrists to hold her at bay.

“Are you stupid or somethin’? He was already dead.” Daryl snapped, keeping an eye on her legs, hoping she wouldn’t try to kick him.

She fought against his grip, shaking violently. “You’re lying!” she cried.

“Would ya shut up, you’ll bring more of ‘em on us.” He hissed. The girl stared at him but said nothing. He nodded slightly before releasing her wrists and stepping back. She crouched, her arms wrapped around her in a tight hug.

Daryl rubbed the back of his neck, before shaking his head and propping his crossbow on his shoulder. He made his way to the other side of the camp, grabbing his bolt on the way, stopping at the tree line to look over his shoulder. The girl hadn’t moved. Daryl thought of what Merle would do if he had found the girl instead – save her?   Maybe.   Take all of her stuff?   Definitely. But, would he?

            He took another glance at the girl, frowning at how pathetic she looked. _Taking her shit would be too easy…_   He reasoned. Daryl turned on his heel and disappeared behind the brush before the girl came back to her senses – he didn’t need any burdens. If she died, he wouldn’t care.

 

“You must know this is crazy.” Anderson grimaced as the body of a fallen walker was dragged into the room “Or, are you just insane?”  He asked, looking at Rick.

They had been saved by a young Asian boy, Glenn, and brought to this department store where the rest of his group had been waiting. _Only, now we’re trapped in here with that stupid redneck._ Anderson thought, slipping on some rubber gloves.

While the others were conversing and getting sentimental, Anderson’s mind was on Evan and Anna. _I can’t lie to myself, I may not make it back in time to save Evan, but I have to get back to Anna._ The group readied themselves to start hacking at the walker. _I promised._

 

Anna wasn’t sure how long she had been crying. By the time she had calmed down the stranger that had saved her was gone. She frantically looked around camp to take stock of what was there when her eyes fell on a walker approaching her. Reaching down, she pulled her pocket knife out of her boot and flipped it open. Anna felt numb as she drove the small blade into the corpse’s forehead.

Biting her tongue, Anna began to drag Evan’s body over to the grave she had previously been digging for him. Gingerly, she crossed his arms over his chest and shut his eyes. She thumbed the bracelet he had given her before he died, contemplating whether she should bury him with it or not. The bracelet was a stainless-steel plate attached to a silver chain. Through the various scratches along its surface, Anna could read an engraving; _May you live all the days of your life. – Jonathan Swift_. She felt her chest constrict before clasping the trinket around her left wrist.

 

Anderson stared around the camp, taking in all of the people he found himself in the company of. He wanted nothing more than to leave immediately and make his way back to Evan and Anna. However, he had no idea which way their camp was relative to the query. He had asked earlier for a map, but everyone seemed far too busy to offer him any assistance. Aside from that, he knew he was terrible at navigation.

“What about you?” Anderson glanced over at the older man they called Dale, “What’s your story? How’d you end up in the city trapped in a tank?”

Everyone watched him, waiting patiently for him to reveal himself, but he found himself reluctant to share – as he often did.

“I…, was on a supply run.” Anderson finally provided, hoping that would be enough.

“Were you on your own?” the young blonde pushed – _Was her name Amy?_

“No.” She continued to stare at him. It was irritatingly similar to the way Anna would stare at him when he refused to hold conversation. “I was with two other people. One of them was shot, the other is still with him.  I need to get back to them.”

Shane – Anderson figured he was the leader – leaned forward in his chair, clearing his throat. “Where are they?”

“To the west….” Anderson said firmly, fully aware that it wasn’t much to go on – especially at night.

“Well, you’re welcome to find them and bring them back here.” Lori stated.

Anderson saw the look that Shane gave her and knew that he and his companions were not entirely welcome.

“Thank you for the offer,” he replied stiffly.

“Your friend that was shot – will he be okay?” Rick asked, unconsciously shifting in his chair beside his wife and son.

Anderson looked into the embers of their fire, his face unreadable, before he answered. 

“No.”


	12. Chapter Eleven

By nightfall, Anna had packed camp, leaving behind any supplies she wouldn't need or be able to carry, and set out on her own. She wasn't particularly worried about the dead surprising her, as her eyes tended to adjust to the darkness sufficiently enough. Despite this, she felt uneasy.

Perhaps it was the fact that she was alone. For the first time, since everything happened, she had no one. Though she knew better, all around her the world was completely calm. Animals scurried through the underbrush, the breeze went through the trees, all as if nothing were wrong. Much like a hurricane, the most dangerous time was when it was quiet and settled. _When you feel like everything might actually be okay, it all goes to shit._

Off in her own world, she didn't notice the body in her path until she felt a hand beneath her foot. Anna's eyes found their way to the face of a walker, saw the dirty blonde hair, and realized where she was; the stream where she had washed her hair – it seemed like so long ago. Kneeling, Anna stared into the dead eyes of the woman, briefly recalling the struggle. She reached out and closed the girls’ eyes, gently stroking her face, contemplating the situation Marley could be in at this very moment.  If she was even alive.

A twig broke behind her and Anna quickly drew her gun, flipping off the safety and aiming in the direction she'd heard the sound.

 

 

Daryl had barely seen her, crouched down as she was, and hadn't thought to stay quiet while gathering firewood. She whipped around faster than he had expected, aiming her gun in his general direction. He held up his hands, hoping she wouldn't mistake him for a walker. _That'd be a bitch_ … he thought cautiously stepping forward.  "I ain't one o' them." The girl lowered her gun, only slightly, before reaching for her side.  A light was suddenly shining on him, but not in his face.

"I've seen you before…." The girl muttered as she clicked the flashlight off. Daryl blinked rapidly, trying to regain his eyesight. He saw that the girl had stowed her gun and was now a few feet from him. "You… you saved me."

"I ain't…," Daryl stopped his protest, remembering that only this morning he had saved a girl from her dad turned walker. "Oh."

She nodded.  "Thank you." The moon had finally managed to break through the trees, illuminating the small clearing they were in. He could now clearly see that it was indeed the girl he had rescued earlier. "I have to ask, though." She began, as if unsure of whether she should proceed. "Why did you help me?" Daryl merely shrugged.

Suddenly feeling exposed, he busied himself with starting a fire to cook one of the squirrels he'd caught. Once there was a low flame, he noticed that the girl was still standing there, watching him.

"Well, sit down if you're gonna stay," he snapped as he began skinning the squirrel. She hesitated for a moment before sitting across from him. "You hungry?" Daryl asked, his voice just a tad harsher than he meant.

She nodded slowly before removing her pack and rummaging through it. 

"I have food – some beans and jerky – if you want some." She offered, holding out said items.

Daryl looked between her and her food. 

"You eat yours, I'll eat mine." He stated simply. She didn't protest, and she began chewing on her jerky in silence after stashing the can of beans. They sat quietly, eating and keeping alert for any threats. Daryl noticed that she kept glancing between him and the fire.

"What?" he finally growled in annoyance.

"What's your name?" she asked.

He stared at her with scrutiny before he replied. 

"Daryl."

"Anna."

 

 

Anderson tied his back pack shut after ensuring he still had all of his supplies.

"So, you're heading out?" He looked up to see the blonde woman approaching him. _What was her name again?_ He wondered.

"Yes." He replied, securing his bag onto his back before checking his gun.

"I hope you find your friends." She said crossing her arms over her chest.

"I doubt Anna has left camp. She wouldn't leave Evan behind." He muttered more to reassure himself than the woman before him.

"You know you're welcome to join us – you and your friends." She added the last bit quickly.

Anderson nodded, tucking his gun into his jeans. 

"I'm not entirely sure everyone in your group agrees with that hospitality."

"Not everyone in the group would be here without that hospitality." She countered. "Seriously, though, whether you find your friends or not, we'll be here."

Assuming the conversation was over, Anderson went to leave, but was stopped by Rick calling to him.

"I'd like to apologize, again, for getting you stuck in that tank with me." Rick held out his hand. Anderson stared down at it, his eyebrow cocked. He gave a quick glance at Rick before accepting the gesture. "I know I can't make up for the loss of time, and I deeply regret that."

Just as they ended the hand shake, a scream ripped through the camp. Everyone dropped what they were doing, running towards the frantic cries, weapons at the ready. Anderson curled his lip in disgust at the sight of a walker feeding on a deer. He noticed the arrow in the deer's hind quarters as the walker rose at the presence of fresher meat.

The men began to attack the walker, knocking it to the ground before Dale brought an ax down on its neck, affectively dismembering the head. A man broke through the tree line and Anderson drew his gun, not sure if he was friend or foe.

"Son of a bitch!" the stranger shouted. "That's my deer! Look at it. All gnawed on by this…," the man began kicking the body of the fallen walker, "filthy, disease-bearing, motherless poxy bastard!"

"Calm down, son. That's not helping." Dale reasoned in an attempt to calm the man.

"What do you know about it, old man? Why don't you take that stupid hat and go back to _On Golden Pond_?" he mocked. "I've been tracking this deer for miles. Gonna drag it back to camp, cook us up some venison." He tore the bolt from the deer's hind. "What do you think? Do you think we can cut around this chewed up part right here?"

"I would not risk that." Shane replied.

"That's a damn shame." He sighed.  "I got some squirrel, 'bout a dozen or so. That'll have to do."

The walker head suddenly awoke, snapping its jaws at the prey just out of reach.

"Oh, God." One of the blonde women groaned, hurriedly leaving the scene with her sister.

"Come on, people. What the hell?"  He asked, shooting a bolt into the creature, "It's gotta be the brain – don't ya'll know nothin'?" The man walked around Anderson and began shouting for Merle. _This must be that idiot's brother_ …. Anderson internally groaned at the thought of having to deal with yet another loose cannon until he remembered he was leaving to go find Anna.

"Anderson."


	13. Chapter Twelve

Anna stared blankly at the opposite wall of the truck, swaying side to side as it made its way towards Atlanta. She could feel Anderson's eyes burning into the side of her head, but she refused to give him any attention. She was far too preoccupied anyway, trying to come to terms with her most recent decision.

 

_Two hours earlier…,_

 

"Anderson." Anna had her gun drawn and aimed at Anderson's head as he turned to face her.

"Anna," his eyes locked onto the barrel of her gun and he held his hands up in submission. "Anna, what are you doing here? Where's Evan?"

"In the ground." She snapped, her finger shaking on the trigger. Anderson's eyes moved to hers, as if trying to determine if she was telling the truth.

"Now, you don't want to go and do something you'll regret – Anna was it?"

"Stay out of this, Dan." Anderson commanded the old man in his fishing hat.

Anna tried her hardest to keep the gun steady. She would kill him. He had left her alone, let Evan die – let him become one of them. She would kill him – she said she would – so, why wasn't her damn finger pulling back the trigger?

Her heart was pounding in her ears, remembering the sight of Evan's forehead splitting with one of Daryl's bolts. She still had the dirt under her nails from burying him. It was yesterday that she lost him, that she proclaimed her mission to kill Anderson, but here he was – right in front of her, at gun point, his life in her hands…. But, she couldn't do it. She couldn't pull the fucking trigger.

 

_Present…_

 

"Anna, right?" she drew her attention over to the man in a small-town police uniform, Rick, and nodded. "How do the two of you know each other?" he asked, referring to Anderson. Anna cracked her pinky knuckle, "If you don't mind me askin', that is."

"A mutual friend," she replied, not wanting to go into detail over what had occurred not too long ago. Rick nodded, not wanting to push the topic any further.

 

As the truck approached the city limits, Anna pulled her gun out to ensure it had a full clip.

"He'd better be okay," Daryl said in a low voice, directing the poorly disguised threat at T-Dog.

"I told you…," T-Dog sighed, "the geeks can't get at him. The only thing that's gonna get through that door is us.

"We'll walk from here," Glenn stated, turning the engine off. Everyone exited the truck and began to make their way down the railroad tracks that led into the city until they arrived at a fence.

Anna took in the state of the city as the men cut through. It had changed a lot since she watched the bombs drop.

"Merle first or guns?" Rick asked.

"Merle! We ain't even havin' this conversation," Daryl snapped. Anna couldn't lie, even to herself; she’d go for her brother first too if she were in Daryl's situation.

Rick sighed.  "We are." He turned his attention to Glenn before continuing "You know the geography. It's your call.”

Glenn looked as if he'd rather be anywhere else as Daryl stared him down.

"Merle's closest. The guns would mean doubling back. Merle first."

Anna couldn't help but think that they'd have to double back regardless of what they went for first, and apparently, so did Anderson.

"We would be doubling back regardless."

Daryl shot a venomous look at the man, "Merle first."

 

By the time the group reached the department building, Anna's knee was throbbing, the memory of the attack at the airport in the back of her mind. She shook her head as she followed close behind Daryl who led the charge into the store, his crossbow ready.

“Damn. You are one ugly skank.” He muttered at a walker before shooting it down.”

"Was that really necessary?" Anna asked, scanning the aisles for more undead before they proceeded up the stairs.

"Yes." He stated simply, retrieving his arrow.

It wasn’t long before the six found themselves on the roof. Daryl shouted for his brother before he let out a slight sob. Anna had to doubletake to ensure that it was in fact Daryl who had made the sound.

"No! No! No!" Anna cringed at his cries. The group noticed the saw on the ground, lying beside a severed hand and empty handcuffs. Everyone remained silent as they stared at Merle's hand, Daryl having finally calmed down – at least, that's what Anna thought until he suddenly turned on T-Dog, his crossbow leveled with his head.

Rick pulled his own gun and trained it on Daryl's head. 

"I won't hesitate. I don't care if every walker in the city hears it."

"I do…," Anna muttered, unconsciously stepping closer to Anderson.

Daryl glanced back at her before he contemplated how serious Rick seemed to be. He dropped his crossbow. 

"You got a do-rag or somethin'?” he asked. T-Dog fished a bandana out of his pocket and handed it over. Daryl quickly wrapped Merle's hand. "I guess the saw blade was too dull for the handcuffs. Ain't that a bitch," he shoved the bundle into Glenn's pack. "He must have used a tourniquet…, maybe his belt. Be more blood if he didn't."

Anna silently applauded him on the way he was handling the situation, the group trailing after him as he followed a trail of blood. Anna took note of T-Dog collecting the tools that had been left on the roof.

 

 

"Is it the city that makes people do stupid things or is everyone genuinely insane?" Anderson grumbled.

Rick nodded.  "You're not doing this alone."

"Even I think it's a bad idea, and I don't even like you much," Daryl agreed.

Glenn rolled his eyes. 

"It's a good idea, okay, if you just hear me out. If we go out there in a group, we're slow, drawing attention. If I'm alone, I can move fast." He made a quick layout of the street.  "Look. That's the tank, five blocks from where we are now. That's the bag of guns. Here's the alley I dragged you into when we first met," he glanced between Rick and Anderson. "That's where Daryl, Anderson and I will go."

"Why me?" Daryl scoffed.

"Your crossbow is quieter than his gun. While they wait here in the alley, I run up the street, grab the bag."

Rick thought for a moment.  "You got us elsewhere?'

Glenn motions to a spot on his map, "You three, right. You'll be in this alley here."

"Two blocks away? Why?" Rick inquired.

"I may not be able to come back the same way." Glenn answered.  "Walkers might cut me off. If that happens, I won't go back to Daryl and Anderson. I'll go forward instead, all the way around to that alley where you guys are. Whichever direction I go, I got you in both places to cover me. Afterwards, we'll all meet back here."

"Hey, kid," Daryl called, "what'd you do before all of this?"

"Delivered pizzas. Why?"

Anna scrunched up her nose, thinking of how much she'd love some pizza when she realized something. 

"What if you get crowded by too many walkers for you to handle on your own?" Glenn looked up, slightly pale. "I can see where a big group would slow you down, but having at least one person to cover your back would be rather beneficial, don't you think?" Anna offered.

"And, let me guess – you volunteer for the job?" Anderson sneered. She didn't outwardly acknowledge him, but everyone could see how rigid she became at his words.

"Daryl's crossbow is good cover from afar, but you should have someone with a knife tagging along – someone fast."

"I'll go," Anderson said.

"You're too slow. " Anna snapped.

The tension was palpable in the room before Glenn cleared his throat awkwardly.

"I'll take Anna."


	14. Chapter Thirteen

Anna made her way down a ladder behind Glenn and Daryl. At the end of the alley, the three peered through the fence while Daryl loaded his crossbow.

 "You got some balls for a Chinaman," he commented.

"I'm Korean," Glenn corrected him.

"Whatever,"

Anna rolled her eyes at Daryl before slipping her hunting knife from its sheath.

"You ready?" Glenn asked, calling her attention to him. She nodded.  "You stay on me, got that?"

"Like white on rice," she agreed, quietly smirking at her lame and slightly racist, joke.

Glenn eased the gate open before making his way through and weaving his way around cars to avoid lingering walkers.  Anna followed closely, her knife poised and ready for anything that she deemed a threat.

Without any more coverage, the pair raced the rest of the way to the bag of guns. Anna tightened her grip on her knife as the geeks began to converge on them.

"Let's go!" Glenn hissed as he snatched up the sheriff's hat from the ground.

"Help! Help!" Anna pushed her legs harder as the cries reached her ears. Two walkers closed in around her as Glenn rounded the corner. She buried her knife into the head of the closest walker, positioning it between her and the next one. As she removed her knife she brought her foot up into the walkers' stomach, pushing it into the corpse behind it.

The sound of screeching tires filled her ears, and she turned just in time to dive out of the way of an oncoming car.

"Fuck!" she hissed as her elbow throbbed and stung from its impact against the pavement. Anna heard a growl come from above before a walker threw itself on top of her. Her chest constricted in the familiar asthma attack as she struggled to keep the large walker from biting into her flesh. She maneuvered her head to see that she had dropped her knife. She cursed her luck until her attention was drawn by the scene of Glenn being dragged into the car that had almost run her over. 

"Glenn!" she called, pushing harder against the body on top of her.

"Get back here your sumbitches!" Daryl shouted after the car.

"Daryl!" Anna cried. He turned to see her pinned and sprinted over as he whipped out his knife. He shoved it into the back of the walker’s head before tearing it off of her. She jumped to her feet and scooped up her own knife.

"Come on!" Daryl commanded, shoving her towards the alley as more and more walkers arrived.

Immediately after Daryl closed the gate behind them Anna dropped to her knees, attempting to even her breathing

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Stop it." Anna looked up to see that Rick, T-Dog and Anderson had arrived in time to stop Daryl from harming the boy she hadn't noticed before.

"I'm gonna kick your nuts up in your throat!" Daryl threatened.

"Anna?" Anderson came into her line of sight as he kneeled down in front of her. "What's wrong?"

"They took Glenn," her voice was tight as she tried to sit up straight.

Daryl glanced fleetingly at her before turning back to Rick and the boy. 

"That little bastard and his little bastard homie friends. I'm gonna stomp your ass!"

"Where's your inhaler?" Anderson asked, placing his hands-on Anna's shoulders to steady her. She started digging through her jacket pockets for the blue puffer but found them empty.

"Hands behind your head." Anderson ordered, lifting up her arms, "Deep breaths." Anna didn't argue as she clasped her fingers together.

"Guys! Guys! We're cut off!" T-Dog warned, looking down at Anna with concern.

"Get to the lab. Go."

Daryl yanked the boy up by his arm, "Come on."

"Damn," Anderson sighed, helping Anna to her feet. She wanted to get away from Anderson, but her only choice was to accept his help, as she could barely stand on her own.

 

After overcoming her asthma attack, Anna found herself in a corner, silently fuming over her failure to protect Glenn. She thought bitterly how she was no better than Anderson – though, a voice in the back of her head said it wasn't her fault. Or was that T-Dog?

"Anna?"  She looked up to see T-Dog standing in front of her. If she had met him before the world went to shit, he probably would've intimidated her – like everyone else she’d met since the world ended. At least back then. _You can't afford to be afraid anymore…_   She thought, looking back down at her hands.

"We'll get him back," T-Dog assured.

Nodding absently, Anna bit the inside of her cheek. "We will.”

"You aren't coming with us."

Anna's nostrils flared, and she stood to stare down Anderson. "The hell I'm not!" she snapped, her fists clenched at her side.

"No, Anderson is right.   We can't risk you slowing us down – no offense," Rick said apologetically.

"No offense?" Anna scoffed.

Daryl cleared his throat.  "Look, ya ain't comin', aright? Sides, we need someone to stay an' watch the guns."

"Please, Anna…" Anderson sighed, stepping closer, "Evan would say the same thing –"

"Don't you dare bring him into this!" she hissed. It took all of her will power not to lash out at him.

"I don't want you staying behind on your own, though," Rick cut in, attempting to ease the tension.

"I'll stay," T-Dog offered, glancing between Anna and Anderson.

"Good idea," Daryl said.  "Don' need more dead bodies 'round here." Anna furrowed her brow in confusion and irritation.

 

Anna paced back and forth in the lab while T-Dog sat against the far wall. She scuffed her boots against the tile with every other step and heaved a sigh every time she turned. These actions were annoying T-Dog, who had been attempting to take a nap for the past hour.

"Pacing isn't gonna bring 'em back any faster," he pointed out.

She stilled for a moment before she took it up again. 

"It helps me calm down," she muttered, clasping her hands in front of her mouth.

"They're gonna be fine."

Anna huffed and took a seat in front of him. She watched him for a few minutes in silence as he tried to ignore her.

"Why did you stay with me?" she finally asked.

"Why do you hate Anderson?" he countered, not bothering to open his eyes until after he'd asked.

She chewed her cheek for a moment, trying to decide if she wanted to divulge that information.

"Evan Magnus." She stated simply. "Evan and I met on a plane heading for South Carolina. It landed in Atlanta where we met Anderson – Evan and Anderson worked together – they took me with them when the world went to shit, taught me how to use a gun, make a fire, set traps and skin a rabbit – apparently they used to go hunting." Anna started picking at her nails, trying to hide the pain she was feeling at remembering the time they had spent in the apartment and in the woods. "Evan was like a father to me, really. I mean, they were both always so protective of me, but Anderson's so detached emotionally, you know? Evan was always smiling and laughing. He made me forget sometimes that the world was over…,"

"Anderson mentioned him – didn't say much…,"

"Yeah…, they went on a supply run – left me at camp. When they came back, Evan was hurt, and they were being followed by corpses. Anderson went back into the city to get medicine for Evan, but…, he never came back."

T-Dog was quiet for a long time before he continued to question her. 

"How did you meet Daryl?"

"Evan turned and I couldn't put him down.  Daryl saved me." T-Dog seemed to be processing the information, surprised that Daryl would have bothered with anyone that wasn't himself or Merle.

"And he just let you come with him?"

Anna shook her head, a sad smile forming.

"No, he left while I was burying Evan. I went off on my own and ran into him again.” She explained. "I wasn't really concerned with going along with anyone, really…. All I wanted was to kill Anderson." T-Dog stiffened. "But, when I finally found him again…, I couldn't do it." T-Dog relaxed. "The thought of what Evan would've said about it…." She let out a long sigh. "I just couldn't disappoint him."


	15. Chapter Fourteen

Rick unzipped the bag of guns and began to divide them amongst the group.

“Them guns are worth more than gold. Gold won’t protect your family or put food on the table.” Daryl argued as he took one.  “You’re gonna give that up for that kid?”

“If I knew we’d get Glenn back, I might agree.” T-Dog sighed.  “But, you think that Vato across the way is just gonna hand him over?”

“You callin’ G a liar?” Miguel called.

“Are you a part of this?” Daryl snapped, slapping the side of Miguel’s head.  “You want to hold onto your teeth?” Anna rolled her eyes at his brutality, but everyone else seemed to ignore it.

“Question is,” T-Dog began, “do you trust that man’s word?”

“No, the question is, what are you willing to bet on it?” Daryl countered, “Could be more than them guns. Could be your life.”

Anderson agreed. “Is Glenn worth that to you?”

Anna scoffed. “He is to me.” Anderson shot her a look that clearly said she was to stay out of the conversation.

“What life you and I have we owe to him.” Rick sighed, directing his statement to Anderson.  “We were nobody to Glenn, just some idiots stuck in a tank. He could have walked away, but, he didn’t.” Anderson shook his head. “Neither will I.” Rick finished.

“Tank?” Anna was confused.

“I’ll explain later.” Anderson muttered.

Daryl pulled her attention back to the others, “So, you’re gonna hand the guns over?”

“I didn’t say that.” Rick corrected.  “There’s nothing keeping you all here. You should get out, head back to camp.”

“And tell your family what?” T-Dog asked.

“Come on!” Miguel called.  “This is nuts – just do like G says.”

“Oh, my God!” Anna snapped, whirling around to face the boy. “Listen, kid. we are not giving up these guns, and we are going to get Glenn back.” Anna towered over him, finally having had enough of his whining.  “Now, shut the hell up.”

“We are,” Anderson interjected.  “You’re staying here.”

Anna turned back to the group, “Excuse me? I am _not_ staying behind again!”

Daryl stepped forward and between the two, keeping a wary eye on Anna. “If we’re gonna do this, we’re gonna need all the man power we can get.”

“Or woman….” T-Dog added.

“They’re right, Anderson.” Rick agreed, turning to Anna. “If you’re strong enough, that is.”

“I’m good.” Anna replied, smirking at Anderson, happy that they were on her side for once.

 

 

Anna steadied the gun, the weight strange in her hands. She knew she’d have to get used to it sooner rather than later if this went south. When they approached the warehouse, she couldn’t help feeling envious of Miguel and his group. They were protected from the elements here, and probably safer from walkers, despite being in the city.

The doors opened, breaking Anna’s train of thought, and Rick pushed Miguel inside. The rest of them followed after.

“I see my guns, but they’re not all in the bag.” Commented the apparent leader, ‘G’ or Guillermo. Anna’s eyes took quick stock of her surroundings and saw that they were very much outnumbered. She would have been worried, but her group had far more guns.

“That’s because they’re not yours. I thought I mentioned that.” Rick replied.

“Let’s just shoot these fools right now, ese. Alright? Unload on their asses, ese.” Anna quickly recognized the man who spoke as one of the men who took Glenn.

Guillermo held up his hand to quiet him.

“I don’t think you fully appreciate the gravity of the situation.”

“No, I’m pretty clear.” Rick pulled out his knife and cut Miguel free, handing him over. “You have your man. I want mine.”

“I’m gonna chop up your boy. I’m gonna feed him to my dogs. They’re the evilest, nastiest, man-eating bitches you ever saw.” Anna narrowed her eyes at Guillermo, aiming her gun at him. The sudden movement made everyone stiffen. “I picked them up from Satan at a yard sale. I told you how it has to be. Are you deaf?”

Rick waved his hand, telling Anna to hold her fire.

“No, my hearing’s fine. You said come locked and loaded.” They took that as their queue to cock their guns. “Okay then, we’re here.”

“Felipe!” It took a moment for Anna to process what she was seeing. An old Hispanic woman hobbled her way through the crowd of angry men. “Felipe!” she called again.

“Abuela, go back with the others…, now.” Gently commanded the man who had tried to get the impending fight going.

Daryl shoved his gun forward, gesturing to the woman.

“Get that old lady out of the line of fire!”

Guillermo glanced over his shoulder, clearly irritated, “Abuela, listen to your mijo, okay? This is not the place for you right now.”

Felipe’s Abuela turned to Guillermo, “Mr. Gilbert is having trouble breathing. He needs his asthma stuff. Carlitos didn’t find it.” She explained earnestly. Anna perked up at the mention of asthma. “He needs his medicine,” she pleaded.

Guillermo sighed, “Felipe, go take care of it, okay? And take your grandmother with you.”

“Abuela! Ven conmigo por favor.” Anna lowered her gun an inch, watching the elderly woman carefully. Was this a ploy? Were these men using this little old lady to distract them to gain the upper hand? Anna bit her cheek, angry at the prospect of putting this woman in so much danger.

“Who are those people?”  She asked, looking around at the strange group.

“Por favor, ven conmigo.” Felipe pleaded, trying to pull her away.

“Don’t you take him,” she said, stepping around Felipe protectively.

Rick clearly looked lost. “Ma’am?”

“Felipe’s a good boy. He has his trouble, but he pulls himself together.” Anna couldn’t deny that it would have been a clever ruse to use this woman, but she couldn’t believe that it could be a lie. “We need him here.”

“Ma’am, I’m not here to arrest your grandson.” Rick assured, lowering his gun to his side.

Abuela tilted her head. “Then what do you want him for?”

“He’s helping us find someone.” Anna cut in, dropping her gun as well.

Rick nodded.  “Fella named Glenn.”

“The Asian boy? He’s with Mr. Gilbert.” She smiled, holding out her hand to Rick. “Come. Come, I’ll show you.” Rick allowed her to lead him towards the back of the warehouse.  “He needs his medicine.”

Guillermo shook his head, “Let ‘em pass.” He commanded. Anderson, T-Dog and Daryl kept their weapons aimed while Anna followed close behind them, cautiously relaxed.

 

 

As they arrived at their destination, Anna’s mind whirled with the new information. The Vatos weren’t just a gang of violent men. They were trying to retrieve the bag of guns to protect a nursing home and its residents.

Anna looked around the gymnasium until her eyes fell on the small crowd gathered around an old black man who seemed to be the one having an asthma attack. Beside him stood Glenn, attempting to comfort him. Shoving her gun into Daryl’s grasp, Anna rushed over to Glenn, hugging him tightly.

"I am so sorry!” she muttered.

Glenn hesitated for a moment before returning the hug.

“It’s okay?’

“No, I was supposed to protect you,”

Rick walked up as Anna stepped away from Glenn. 

“What the hell is this?”

T-Dog clapped Glenn on the shoulder.

“I thought you were being eaten by dogs, man.”

Anna ignored the rest of the conversation, turning her attention instead to the old man.

“Have you tried putting his arms up behind his head?”  She asked, kneeling down in front of him. “It would open up his lungs.” She elaborated when Felipe looked at her questioningly.

“I know, but how did you know that?”  He helped Mr. Gilbert raise his arms.

Anna shrugged, deciding that it wasn’t exactly exclusive information. 

“I have asthma, too.” She stood slowly. “Where would his medicine be? I can go get it while you stay with him.”

“No.” Felipe snapped.  “You stay, I’ll go.” Anna nodded, his distrust in her obvious. She walked around to stand behind Mr. Gilbert and waited for Felipe to return.

“Thank…you…,” Mr. Gilbert said between gasps for breath.

“Just focus on breathing.” Anna soothed, rubbing his back lightly – something her mother did for her when she was young and couldn’t breathe.

“If you have asthma, don’t you have an inhaler?” Glenn asked.  “Couldn’t you let Mr. Gilbert use it?”

Anna huffed.  “I lost it when I was almost run over by a car.”

Abuela gasped, placing her hand over her heart. 

“Are you alright, mija?” she asked. Anna nodded, smiling. Felipe returned shortly after and helped Mr. Gilbert use his own inhaler. It took a few minutes for him to regain his breath, but by the time he had, Rick, T-Dog and Guillermo returned.

“How is he?” Guillermo asked.

“He’ll be fine.” Felipe assured, standing back.

“Don’t scare us like that again, eh?” Guillermo chuckled, patting Mr. Gilbert on the shoulder.

Mr. Gilbert smiled, shaking his head. He turned to Anna, stopping her from walking away. He took her hand, forcing his inhaler into her grasp.

“Take it.” He ordered.

“I can’t…,” Anna stuttered, trying to return it.

He shook his head.

“Please, take it.” He quickly withdrew his hands and clasped them in his lap, indicating that she had no choice in the matter.

“But…, why?” she asked, looking down at the blue puffer. On the back it read that there were only eight puffs left.

“You need it more than me.”

“Thank you.” She whispered as she engulfed him in a tight embrace.


	16. Chapter Fifteen

The group made their way out of the city after the exchange of guns with the nursing home group. The mood was light as Glenn teased Rick, accusing him of only coming back for his cowboy hat. This mood was instantly ruined by Daryl.

“You’ve given away half our guns and ammo.”

“Not nearly half.” Rick defended.

“For what? Bunch of old farts who are gonna die off momentarily anyhow?” Daryl continued. While he had a point, Anna had to disagree with his logic. “Seriously, how long you think they got?”

“How long do any of us?” Rick questioned.

Anna cleared her throat before offering a counter argument.

“Besides, Daryl…, it wasn’t just the old people there who needed those guns.” With that, Anna slowed her pace to walk at the back of the group with Anderson. Daryl watched her briefly, his face hard to read before he turned away.

Anderson watched as Anna came to walk beside him, confused by her decision to no longer avoid him.

“Okay, it’s later – tell me about this tank.” She wouldn’t look at him, but Anderson explained to her everything that happened during his supply run, from finding the supplies, to getting trapped in a department store, to getting stuck in the tank with Rick and what occurred after, up until Anna arrived at the quarry with Daryl.

“So, that’s why you didn’t come back?” she muttered, more to herself than Anderson.

“Yes.” Anderson remained quiet as Anna processed the information she’d just been provided. She felt a heavy weight lift from her shoulders now that she knew he hadn’t intentionally abandoned them. She was suddenly very glad that she didn’t shoot Anderson when she had the chance.

“Okay….” She whispered, allowing a small smile to escape. “Okay.”

Anderson glanced at Anna, wondering if she was ready for his questions regarding Evan.

“Was he in a lot of pain?” he asked, carefully watching her reaction.

“He was pretty out of it most of the time.” She replied with no outward discomfort. On the inside, however, her heart clenched at the reminder of his last days.  “He thought I was his daughter.” Anderson visibly stiffened at this.  “The only way I could get him to eat was by going along with it…” Anna said, not disguising her sadness.

“I’m sure that was the best thing to do….” Anderson assured.

“What do you think…” Anna let out a deep sigh.  “What do you think happened to his daughter, anyway?”  She asked, looking to Anderson out of the corner of her eye.

He was silent for a long time, his jaw tense and eyes hard.

“Did he say anything before he died?” He asked, evading the question. Anna noticed.

“He told me to be patient with you.” Anderson scoffed before she kept going. “And, to give you this….” She carefully removed the plated silver bracelet from around her wrist, passing it to him. “And, he wanted you to remember your promise?” she asked, clearly curious.

“Hm… yes….” Anderson mused, running his thumb over the inscription.

Apparently, he hadn’t heard her indirect question.  “What was it?” He didn’t reply, just continued to stare at the bracelet. “Anderson?” she called, finally gaining his attention. “What was the promise?”

Anderson looked back to the bracelet, his face unreadable once again.

“To keep you safe.”

“Oh, my God.” Everyone stared horrified at the empty space in which they had left the truck.

“Where the hell’s our van?” Daryl snapped.

Glenn jogged forward, as if getting closer would make the truck reappear. “We left it right there. Who would take it?” he panicked.

“Merle.” Rick stated, completely sure of it.

Daryl ran his hand down his face.  “He’s gonna be takin’ some vengeance back to camp.”

Anna looked to Daryl, unsure if she’d heard him correctly.  “Is your brother really that much of an asshole?” she asked.

“Yes.” Was the collective response.

“Come on,” Rick said, demanding everyone’s undivided attention.  “Maybe we can reach the camp before him.”

“That’s wishful thinking, Rick.” Anderson interjected.

“We can at least try to get there before he does too much damage.” Anna snapped.  “Come on!” With that, the group took off.

 

When they neared the camp, the sun had already been replaced by the moon. Anna couldn’t help but feel as if they would be too late when the sound of gunshots reached them. They forced themselves to run faster. Anna could feel her muscles scream in pain and her chest contract horribly, but she did her best to ignore it. The feeling of unbelievable gratitude filled her at the thought of the inhaler that Mr. Gilbert gave her. She hoped that old man died peacefully in his sleep, rather than a terrible termination.

“Go! Go!” Glenn called through the night air. As they broke through the tree line, they were bombarded by the image of walkers attacking camp. For a brief moment, Anna was relieved that it wasn’t Merle – even if she hadn’t met the guy yet, she didn’t want to have to fight Daryl’s brother.

The six jumped into action, firing off rounds into corpse after corpse. Anna became entirely focused on the task at hand, barely feeling the tightness of her chest as she shot down a walker that was busy chowing down on a woman she’d never met before.

The screams of the camp faded away as Anna shot down another walker, before turning to her right to see Daryl take out his own adversary, completely oblivious to the corpse sneaking up behind him. Without thinking, she raised her gun. 

“Daryl!” she pulled back the trigger, but it jammed. “Fuck! Daryl!” she screamed, throwing her gun away and racing forward, tackling the walker to the ground just as Daryl turned around.

He let loose an arrow into the walkers’ head.

“Lori! Carl!” Rick shouted in the background. “Lori!”

Anna scrambled to her feet and brushed off her pants, happy to see that the attack was over. Daryl nodded to her as a silent thank you, and she shrugged in reply, unconsciously straightening her jacket.

“Anna are you alright?” The two looked to see Anderson approaching, taking quick stock of Anna’s condition.

“Yeah, I’m good.”

“Amy! Amy!” Anna cringed at the painful cries, looking to see the blonde woman sitting over another blonde girl closer to Anna’s age, “Amy! Amy!”


	17. Chapter Sixteen

Anna groaned quietly, rubbing her shoulders after depositing a thin walker into a pile. Daryl stood nearby, pick-axe in hand. She flinched when he brought the sharp end into the head of a corpse, ensuring the dead woman wouldn’t come back. Anna stared at the woman, her hair wild – perhaps from the attack, or perhaps because of the lack of upkeep opportunities since the world ended. She was a bigger, African-American woman, and her eyes were still open.

Daryl watched closely as Anna stepped forward, crouching down beside the body. Anna’s face was blank as she examined the fear and pain in the woman’s eyes. Cautiously, Anna reached forward and pulled her eyelids closed. After retracting her hand, the eyes popped open again. Anna grimaced as she stood up, shoving her hands into the pockets of her jeans.

“Guess that only works in the movies….” She said, glancing briefly up at Daryl. He silently peered back at her, even after she turned and walked away to return to her ‘chores.’

“Anna.” Her heart jumped a beat. Turning on the spot, her pony-tail whipping around her to smack her cheek, she faced Lori. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.” Lori smiled warmly. Anna shook her head, blushing lightly – the scuttle of a mouse would startle her. “The shower is open.”

Anna nodded, forcing a smile.  “Thank you.” Lori was referring to the makeshift shower that had been made from a tarp and rope. She wasn’t a huge fan of the idea of stripping mostly naked in front of a bunch of people she barely knew. Pushing the thought from her head, she scurried off to her tent to retrieve a change of clothes and a bar of soap.

Entering the hot tent, she found Anderson packing.

“Rick says we’ll be leaving here tomorrow morning,” he stated, not sparing a glance towards Anna while she pawed through her own bag to find a clean change of underwear.

“So, we’re staying with them?” she asked, her face as impassive as she could make it. She knew that there could be safety in numbers and she certainly didn’t want to be stuck with only Anderson for company; but, she couldn’t help but wonder if joining this group was really the best thing for them.

“Yes.” Anderson replied with no further explanation. _King of conversation, that one._  Anna thought bitterly, scooping up what she’d come for and exiting the tent. She speed-walked towards the back of the camp where the shower was located, her head ducked a liked she was a child in fear of scolding.

“Reap what you sow!” Anna turned to see Daryl yelling at the group once again. “Ya’ll left my brother for dead! You had this coming!” She watched as he stormed off and the group went back to business as if nothing had happened. _I guess this is normal?_ She thought on her way to the shower.

Anna stripped out of most of her clothing, leaving her underwear on. She pulled on the rope that would let loose the unfiltered water and began scrubbing off the grime of dirt, sweat, and walker blood coating her skin like a second layer. She brushed suds through her hair, seriously contemplating the benefits of dreadlocks or just being bald. Once she was completely rinsed clean, Anna dried off, put on fresh undergarments, and tore on a shirt before a very unnerving fact dawned on her. She had left her clean pants back in the tent. Begrudgingly, she glared down at the blood-stained jeans at her feet. Yanking the soiled fabric up her legs, she winced at the disgusting feeling on her freshly cleaned skin.

Anna guffawed at herself, irritated that she was getting upset over something so benign, despite everything going on around her. After shoving her socked feet into her boots, Anna snatched up the rest of her clothing and stormed back to her tent. Completely unaware that she had gained the attention of a few others in her march, she viciously whipped aside the tent flap and hid herself from the rest of the camp to change into clean jeans.

Anderson had been talking with Rick and Shane when he saw Anna on a war path to their tent. Confused at the sudden change in her behavior, he excused himself from the conversation and headed towards the tent but was stopped short when he saw Glenn carefully unzipping the tent flap.

 

 

Anna was cursing at herself under her breath.

“Anna? Is everything ok?” Glenn asked, closing the tent behind him. Anna sat silently on her sleeping bag, holding a small orange bottle.

“I can’t get the damn thing open.” She hissed, holding it out to Glenn like a pouting child.

He took it gingerly and read the label. Wycoff, Anna M SERTRALINE – (Zoloft) – 150MG TAB. Glenn popped open the bottle and handed her one little blue tablet as directed. He watched her toss it into her mouth with a gulp of water. She closed her eyes and rested her wrists on her knees, taking deep breaths.

“Anti-depressants. I’m supposed to take them every day – but, since I don’t exactly have access to refills, I’ve only been using them when it gets really bad.” She explained. “It’s a little difficult to manage – some days are worse than others.”

“I could have gotten them for you on runs….” Anna peered at the boy in front of her, measuring him.

She finally let out a soft smile.  “I don’t know if it’s something the local drug store just has lying around, and I wouldn’t want you wasting a trip.”

Glenn nodded, scratching his neck.

“How long have you…you know…” he gulped, unable to bring himself to say it. Depression wasn’t exactly something he had to deal with a lot before the world fell, so, he didn’t really understand it.

“I was diagnosed in high school.” Anna stated matter-of-factly.

Glenn pulled a confused face. “Diagnosed? Like it’s cancer or something?” He handed the pill bottle back to Anna and watched as she buried it at the bottom of her pack. “I’m sorry,” he said quickly when he heard her sigh heavily. “I’ve never met anyone with…uh…,” his cheeks turned red when the word caught in his throat. He didn’t want to make her feel like she should be ashamed of it.

“Depression.” She said, an understanding smile on her face. “It’s okay to say it, Glenn. It’s not like Voldemort.” She joked, feeling better, now that she knew her serotonin levels would be balanced soon. “Depression isn’t exactly like Cancer, but, yeah. It’s a disease that can only be treated and not cured, and people have lost their lives to it.”

The two were quiet for a while. Glenn absorbed her words, trying to muster the courage to ask her the one thing that had been going through his head since he first saw the effects of the outbreak. Anna was thinking of how silly she’d been for getting so angry at herself and how easy it was for her to have a level head when she’d taken her medicine.

“Have you ever tried to?” Glenn finally asked. His voice was so quiet he was afraid, but also hoping, that she hadn’t heard him.

“A walker got him! A walker bit Jim!” The two jumped at the second sudden outburst of the day. They exited the tent, fumbling over themselves to see the camp circling Jim as he nervously searched for a way to escape.

“I’m okay. I’m okay.” Anna cautiously approached, wanting to find a way to somehow help the man.

“Show it to us. Show it to us!” Daryl shouted, pickax still in hand.

“Daryl…,” Anna reached her hand out to try and pull him back, but as Jim grabbed a shovel for defense, the group shifted aggressively.

“Easy Jim!” Shane called.

“Grab him!”

Anderson appeared then, wrapping his hand around Anna’s upper arm and gently pulling her away.

“You can’t help.” He said calmly over her shoulder.

“They’re going to hurt him!” she pleaded, trying to fight against Anderson's hold.

“Jim, put it down!”

She watched helplessly as T-Dog grabbed hold of the gangly man. “I’m okay! I’m okay!”

“Stop!” Anna shouted, but no one seemed to hear her. Daryl yanked Jim’s shirt up to reveal the walker bite on his right side.

“I’m okay. I’m okay. I’m okay.” The group began to back away, suddenly unwilling to be near him. All the while, Anna watched as the man repeated “I’m okay,” either to convince the group or himself.

 

Anna stood close to Anderson, taking comfort in his calmness and indifference. The group was wired, and scared – with good reason, but Anna wished they would think rationally.

“I say we put a pickax in his head – and the dead girl’s and be done with it.” Daryl snapped, gripping the pickax in his hand just a bit tighter. Anna shot a glance at Jim and the sisters over by the RV.

Shane sighed, clearly irritated by the whole situation.  “Is that what you’d want if it were you?”

“Yeah, and I’d thank you while you did it.”

Anna turned back towards the group, opening her mouth to offer an argument against killing Jim, just as Dale said something rather unexpected for him.

“I hate to say it – I never thought I would – but, maybe Daryl’s right.”

“Jim’s not a monster, Dale, or some rabid dog.” Rick retorted.

Anna could feel Anderson lean over to gain her attention from the group before them,

“Don’t say anything, Anna.”

“Why?” she asked, incredulous. “I can’t just stand by and let them hurt Jim.”

“It isn’t our place.”

“Not our place? We’re a part of this group now, aren’t we? This is a person who needs help.” Anna hissed, her face flushing in anger.

Anderson gave her a blank look.

“We haven’t been around long enough for our opinion to matter.” Anderson’s dark eyes trailed over to the sisters. “It isn’t our place to make those kinds of decisions for them.” Anna stared at Anderson, wishing that she knew what was going through his head.

“Someone needs to have some balls and take care of this damn problem!” The sudden movement pulled the pair out of their silent moment.

“No!” Anna called out. Everything happened so fast that Anna wasn’t exactly sure how she hadn’t gotten the pickax stuck in her own head.


	18. Chapter Seventeen

Everyone was taken aback as the scene registered through their minds. The pickaxe was high above Daryl’s head, Anna standing between him and Jim, hands outstretched as if she could catch the swing, and Rick’s python leveled with Daryl’s head.

“We don’t kill the living.” Rick finally said through labored breathing.

Daryl stared hard at Anna, unsure if he should be angry or impressed that she got in his way.

“That’s funny, coming from a man who just put a gun to my head.”

“We may disagree on some things,” Shane said as he approached the three, “not on this. You put it down. Go on.”

With reluctance and another hard glare at Anna, Daryl dropped the axe. He watched as Anderson snatched up her arm and dragged her away. He wondered for a moment, as he watched them bicker furiously, what they were to each other.

 

“Never do that again.” Anderson snapped, as he dragged Anna away towards their shared tent. “Do you understand.” It was more of a demand for her to understand rather than a question if she did.

“You aren’t in charge of me, Anderson.” She replied shortly, ripping her arm from his grip. “I’m not a child.”

“Are you sure about that? Because, you’re certainly acting like one.” Anderson scolded. “Evan told me to protect you, and you are making it more difficult than it needs to be.”

Anna guffawed.  “What is it that makes me a child? That I think for myself? That I’m not willing to just let them murder Jim? That I don’t do exactly what you want all the damn time?”

Anderson went to reply, his normally passive dark eyes showing some real emotion for once, when a loud, solid, _BANG_ ripped through the air. The two whipped around towards the origin of the sound, to see Andrea, still at the door to the RV, sitting vigil over her sister. It dawned on them quickly that Amy was no longer a threat.

Anna’s gaze fell immediately, and her eyes locked on the glinting metal around Andersons wrist. She bit the inside of her cheek, Evan’s voice tightening her heart as his words reverberated through her skull.  “ _Just…, be patient with him. Okay?”_ Anna let out a heavy sigh, her hand rubbing away at the sweat on her forehead.

“I’m sorry,” she muttered quickly before turning on her heel and walking off.

 

Lori had been kind enough to invite her and Anderson to the funerals. The two of them agreed, however, that they had no place amongst the mourners quite yet. With the experience she had tending to a sick and delusional person, she felt she could be more useful watching over the man left in the RV. Approaching cautiously, Anna took in Jim’s haggard appearance. It was much like Evan   in his final days. She sat quietly beside him, feeling the heat his body was giving off. She placed a cup of water on the bedside table and clutched a damp cloth in her hand. She settled in for some time, writing in her notebook, wiping away the sweat on his skin periodically.

“Oh no.” Anna looked up, the man attempting to push himself into the corner, “No, no, no, no.”

Anna leaned forward, cloth in hand, “Jim? Jim, it’s okay.”

“No, not this, please.”

Anna gently pressed her palm into his chest, as if she would be able to hold down his racing heart.

“Jim, it’s okay,” she cooed, shushing him. She wiped at his face, trying to calm him, but he continued to plead at the demons his illness forced him to face. “Jim… it’s okay,” she whispered. She could almost hear the screaming people in his head.

His terrified eyes finally seemed to see her. 

“I…., I’m sorry.” He croaked. She smiled softly at him, realizing just now that she’d never spoken to him before.

“It’s okay.”

Jim shook his head, “No,” he swallowed hard, and she reached for the glass of water on the bedside table. “No one should have to sit with me.”

Anna snorted, helping Jim guide the glass to his lips.  “I volunteered.” After he got his fill, she returned the water to its place and relaxed back into her chair, “Of the people who didn’t go to the funerals, I probably have the most experience with…this,” she waved her hand in the air at the last word.

“Dealing with the dying?” Jim asked, a small, teasing smile seeming almost out of place on his sallow, fevered face.

Anna leveled her dark eyes on Jim, seeing so much of Evan in him at this moment. “Yeah.”

Jim seemed slightly taken back at her honesty.

“Oh… I was expecting some reassurance…” Anna felt immediately guilty at her brashness, but before she could apologize Jim spoke up again. 

“Thank you. Rick thinks he can save me… that there’s still time.” Anna bit the inside of her cheek. “You don’t agree.”

“It took a little less than a week for my friend to die and turn. The hallucinations didn’t hit him until a few days after the fever. You’re progressing a lot faster than him. Honestly?” Anna looked to Jim, asking for his consent to give her opinion on the matter, and he nodded.  “If we _could_ save you, we should have left for the C.D.C. yesterday.”

Jim nodded, turning to gaze out the window.  “So… why did you protect me? If I’m a dead man, anyway.”

“I think it should be your choice how you go…. You’re _going_ to die. You don’t have a choice in that. You should at least get to choose how you spend your last moments.” Jim looked back at her, his eyes suddenly very calculating.

“Did your friend get to choose?”

Anna didn’t keep his gaze, preferring, instead, to stare out the window as the camp returned from their funeral. After a long pause, Anna finally responded. 

“I didn’t let him decide.”

Jim slowly took her hand, which had never left his chest, 

“However he spent his last days, I’m sure he was glad to spend them with a friend.”

Anna smiled weakly, lifting her eyes towards the ceiling to try and force back the tears that were forming. “I guess I’ll just have to make you as comfortable as possible – until you decide what you want to do, of course.”

“Knock, knock.” The two turned their attention towards the front of the RV to see Carol approaching. “How are we doing?” she asked, her voice coated in sweet kindness.

Jim chuckled before he was caught up in a coughing fit, his hand tightening around Anna’s as if to brace himself. 

“I thought it was hot before….”  He finally said, when the coughing subsided. Anna brought the glass of water back to his lips, and he drank greedily. “This fever is killing me.”

“Well, yeah.” Anna muttered.

He smiled at Anna, ignoring the shocked gasp and almost offended look Carol gave her.  “I like this one,” Jim commented.

“Anna, maybe you want to take a break? I can take it from here.” Carol offered, suddenly wary of Anna’s bedside manner.

“No, thank you,” Anna smiled good naturedly, seemingly unaware of Carol’s apprehension. “I’d like to stay with Jim-bo.” Jim let out another hearty laugh before dissolving into another coughing fit. Carol acted quickly this time, easing him into a sitting position to alleviate the pressure on his lungs and holding her hand against his forehead, while Anna wiped the red tinted spittle from his lips before offering the last of the water to him.

“How is he?”

The women turned their heads to see that Rick and Lori had entered the RV, concern etched across their faces as they approached, the RV swaying lightly at their movement.

“His fever is worse.” Carol stated. Anna nodded her agreement and guided Jim onto his back again.

Lori looked to Jim with a motherly expression. 

“You need anything, Jim?”  She asked.

“Uh…, water.” he replied his voice still scratchy.

“I’ll get some.” Lori assured.  “Carol, Anna? Help me.” It wasn’t a request – Anna could tell – but, it was done in such a kind way that Anna didn’t feel the need to blow it off. She hated being told what to do, but she didn’t mind it much when it was done politely. She could also see that Rick wanted to speak with Jim alone, so with a final squeeze on Jim’s hand, Anna picked up the empty cup and exited the RV with the others.

 

Anna had spent the rest of the day going back and forth between sitting with Jim and helping around camp – if she had it her way, she would sit with Jim all the time, but Carol and Jacqui seemed to think Anna was better off elsewhere. She was helping Glenn clean up around camp when a group meeting was called.

“I’ve been, uh…I’ve been thinking about Rick’s plan.” Shane started off, clearly still reluctant to the idea of going to the C.D.C. “Now look, there are no guarantees either way – I’ll be the first one to admit that. I’ve known this man a long time. I trust his instincts. I say the most important thing here is we need to stay together. So, those of you that agree, we leave first thing in the morning. Okay?” The group dispersed after that, setting about gathering their belongings for the journey.

Anna found Anderson inside their tent organizing his pack.

“So, it’s official? We’re going to the C.D.C.?”  She asked, sitting across from him on her sleeping bag. He nodded quietly, not bothering to look up at her. “Jim isn’t going to make it.” She stated, her voice flat.

Anderson looked up at her then, taking in her impassive face. 

“I would have expected you to be more optimistic.”

With a slight huff, Anna began digging through her own pack, making sure everything was still inside.

“I’m optimistic that the rest of us will make it there – does that help?”  She asked.

Anderson shook his head, placing his pack in the corner before stretching out on his sleeping bag.

“I’ll talk to Rick about who we’ll be riding with tomorrow, for now we should get some rest.”

“I want to ride with Jim.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“Anna.”

“Anderson.”

Anderson looked over at his companion, clearly irritated with the back and forth until he realized she was already falling asleep. He ran his fingers along the scratched metal plate and wondered what had happened while he was away.

 

Outside, Daryl was sitting at the entrance to his tent, sharpening his knife, while the others enjoyed their last meal at the quarry. His eyes, however, were glued to the black and blue tent where Anna and Anderson resided.

He kept asking himself why the hell she would jump in front of a swinging pickaxe to save a man who was already dead – a man she owed nothing to. He could’ve killed her because of her recklessness. Daryl knew – and he was sure Anderson felt the same way – that if Anna didn’t stop acting like a child, didn’t stop thinking she could save everyone, then no matter how much anyone did to keep her alive, she was going to die.

What frustrated Daryl the most about that, though, was how unappealing that sounded to him.


	19. Chapter Eighteen

Anna swayed side to side, a pout glued to her face as she was squished between Anderson and the door to T-Dog’s truck. She hadn’t gotten her way in riding with Jim, Jacqui insisting that she sit watch over him today. Of course, Anna wasn’t too keen on letting the woman near Jim – seeing as Jacqui was the one to expose him. She understood why Jacqui did it, but Anna was of the mind that it could have been done a lot more calmly.

             The sound of honking interrupted Anna’s sulking as the caravan came to a slow stop. Everyone exited their vehicles, and Rick and Shane approached the front of the RV. Anna jumped from the truck and jogged over to the door to the RV, just as Jacqui burst through. 

“Ya’ll, Jim. It’s bad,” She stated before disappearing within.

Anna paled before following her. She heard clips of the conversation outside, about how Dale was going to fix the RV this time, until she reached the back room. Jim laid on the small bed, drenched in sweat.

“Hey, Jimm-bo.” She whispered, sitting at the foot of the bed.

Jacqui looked to Anna, guilt clearly written across her face. 

“I didn’t want this…”  She sobbed. At that moment, Anna could see just how much Jacqui blamed herself for Jim’s condition. But, it wasn’t her fault Jim was bitten. It wasn’t her fault he was dying. The only thing Anna could blame Jacqui for was the pickaxe that almost lodged itself in Jim’s head.

Anna put her hand on Jacqui’s shoulder, giving it a light squeeze.

“I know….” Jacqui started shaking, trying to hold back tears. “It’s okay, Jacqui – why don’t you go take a breather. I’ll stay with him.” Jacqui nodded and made her way out of the RV, her sobs escaping her now.

“Was your friend in this much pain?” Jim asked, stretching his neck and wincing.

Anna turned to him. She couldn’t bring herself to answer before Rick entered the RV. “Hey, we’ll be back on the road soon,” He assured, as a door to a vehicle opened and closed outside.

“Oh no. Christ.” Jim groaned, trying to push himself into a sitting position. “My bones… my bones are like glass. Every little bump.  God. This ride is killing me.” Anna took Jim’s hand, knowing what was going to come out of his mouth next. “I’m done. Just leave me.” Jim squeezed her hand.  “I want to be with my family.”

“I don’t think you know what you’re asking. The fever… you’ve been delirious more often than not.” Rick responded, apprehension coating his voice.

“I know. Don’t you think I know?” Jim groaned again.  “I’m clear now. In five minutes, I may not be. Rick, I know what I’m asking. I want this. Leave me here.” Anna felt a few tears escape down her cheek. She thought back to how Evan thought she was his daughter, and how, when he finally came to his senses, he had wanted her to save their rations. Not to waste anymore on him. “Now, that’s on me. Okay? My decision.” Jim looked to Anna at this and smiled while he reached up to wipe a tear away.  Looking back to Rick he said, “Not your failure.”

 

“It’s what he says he wants.” Rick stated to the group. Anna stood in the doorway to the RV, leaning against the frame, unable to look up from the back of Rick’s neck.

Carol was the first to respond.  “And he’s lucid?”

Rick nodded at her, still unsure.  “He seems to be.”

“Back in the camp,” Dale began, stepping forward, “when I said Daryl might be right and you shut me down, you misunderstood. I would never go along with callously killing a man. I was just gonna suggest that we ask Jim what he wants. And, I think we have an answer.”

“We just leave him here? We take off? Man, I’m not sure I could live with that.” Shane interjected.

Anna finally stepped forward.  “It’s not your call, either of you,” she said, her voice soft. “It’s Jim’s decision, and this is what he wants.” Lori nodded her agreement. “He’s lucid, he’s made his choice.” Her voice dropped to an almost inaudible whisper now.  “He was never going to make it to the C.D.C., and he knew that.”

“What do you know about it? How can you testify that he’s in his right mind?” Shane asked, his eyes narrowing slightly. A few of the others seemed to wonder the same thing as they turned from him to Anna. She felt her face flush at the attention, not expecting the group to so easily turn on her.

“She watched her friend turn. Pretty sure she knows better than the lot of you.” Ten sets of eyes turned to look at Daryl, standing on the outside of the group. Shane started stammering out an apology for his harsh questioning and rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. The others turned to Anna, giving her mixed looks of realization and sympathy. Anna’s gaze was set on Daryl before they moved steadily over to Anderson.

Anna had never seen such a pained look on Anderson’s face before. She hadn’t wanted to tell Anderson that Evan had turned, thinking it would be too hard for him to deal with. She realized now that it may have been the wrong choice to keep that information from him.

 

T-Dog gently placed Jim under a tall tree. Jim groaned good naturedly.

“Hey, another damn tree.”

Shane chuckled.  “Hey, Jim… I mean, you know it doesn’t need to be like this.”

“No. It’s good. The breeze feels nice.”  He assured.

Jacqui approached, patting his face gently, 

“Just close your eyes, sweetie. Don’t fight.” She kissed his forehead before retreating.

“Do you want this?” Rick asked, holding out a black handgun.

“No. You’ll need it. I’m okay.”

Everyone whispered or nodded their goodbyes to Jim – except for Anderson, who leaned on T-Dogs truck, waiting for them to finish. Anna finally approached.

“I knew that this was going to happen… I still wish you could’ve made it, though.”

Jim nodded and rested his hand weakly on her cheek.

“Thank you, for giving me a choice, Anna. I’m okay, now.” The pair nodded to each other before Anna rose to her feet, walking carefully down the small hill back to the road.

The group waved their final goodbyes and climbed into their vehicles again. T-Dog settled himself behind the wheel of his truck, waiting patiently for his passengers to get in. Anderson stopped Anna in her approach, leveling a steely gaze at her. He didn’t have to say anything for her to know that he was angry at her and that they would be talking about it when they had time alone again. The two entered the cab and they were off. Anna looked through the side-view mirror to watch as Jim became smaller and smaller, until he disappeared entirely.

 

“Fuck.” That’s all Anna could think to say when they pulled up to the C.D.C. From the road to the building the ground was completely covered with decaying bodies. The smell was putrid, and not even closing the vents and windows could block it. The only thing that was preventing Anna from throwing up was the uncomfortable lack of food in her stomach.

The group exited their vehicles, and Anna shouldered her back pack and lifted the handgun she had taken from Evan.

“Alright, everybody. Keep moving.” She wasn’t exactly sure who was talking, but she wasn’t about to stand still in a sea of the dead.

“Stay quiet.”

Anderson was at her side the entire way to the building, his gun trained steadily on their surroundings, as if daring the rotting bodies to get up. An alarm started beeping, and the group quickened their pace. Rick made it to the entrance first, and rattled the shutters that covered their only way in.

“There’s nobody here.” T-Dog hissed, his movements frantic.

“Then why are these shutters down?” Rick asked, pounding on the metal.

Daryl was the one to warn the others.  “Walkers!” Everyone with a weapon readied themselves.  “You led us into a graveyard!” Daryl snapped.

“He made a call.” Shane defended, inching closer to Lori and Carl.

Daryl didn’t seem to care though, aiming his crossbow at a walker that was getting too close and letting loose an arrow. 

“It was the wrong damn call!”

Anna leveled her gun at an approaching walker, but thought better than to pull the trigger, opting instead to pull out her hunting knife. She didn’t attack just yet, not wanting to distance herself too much from the group with so many walkers converging on them.

“Alright, everybody back to the cars.” Shane commanded. Anna nodded to herself, plunging her knife into the face of the walker in front of her. She turned back momentarily to see Rick still desperately rattling the shutters.

“The camera, it moved.” Rick gasped. Anna squinted her eyes at the contraption.

“You imagined it.” Shane stated simply, begging for his friend to leave with them.

“It moved. It moved.”

“Rick, it is dead, man. It’s an automated device. It’s gears, okay? They’re just winding down. Now, come on.” Shane started tugging on Rick, but he still resisted. “Man, just listen to me. Look around this place. It’s dead, okay? It’s dead. You need to let it go, Rick.”

Anna stared at the camera, wondering if she even wanted it to move. If it moved, either Shane was right, and it was just winding down, or Rick was right, and someone was watching them, letting them die.

“Please, we’re desperate.” Rick continued hitting the shutters. She could feel Anderson yanking on her arm, but she refused to move, planting herself beside Rick. “Please, help us! We have women, children – no food, hardly any gas left.”

“Rick.” Anderson called.

“There’s nobody here.”

Rick ignored them. 

“We have nowhere else to go.” Anna knew the others didn’t hear him say it – knew that this was truly the last option Rick had for them. He took up his pounding on the door.

“Keep your eyes open!”

“If you don’t let us in, you’re killing us! Please!”

Anna could hear Carl and Sophia crying, could feel the fear radiating off everyone.

“Please, help us! You’re killing us! You’re killing us! You’re killing us!” That phrase was going to haunt Anna for a long time, she knew.

And, then it happened. The camera twitched. She saw it. There was a clang and a hissing sound as the shutters rose and they were blinded by a white light.


	20. Chapter Nineteen

The cool wall was soothing against her aching back. She didn’t realize how tight her muscles were until she had spent an hour under the hot water. Her skin was still raw from the scrubbing, and her scalp was tender. She had felt a million times lighter after her shower – all the stress she was feeling was washed away with all the dirt and sweat and blood. Of course, all that weight was bound to come crashing back. Anderson wasn’t willing to let the issue of Anna’s decision just slide.

The conversation was tense and quiet – and a lot shorter than she had expected. Anna took a long drink from the wine bottle she’d taken from the kitchen, thinking back to the look on Anderson’s face. He hadn’t said a lot, but his carefully selected words were loaded. For once, she may have preferred being yelled at over the calm disappointment.

Of course, she had tried to defend her choice to not tell him but found that her reasoning lacked the one thing that would have convinced him it was a sound choice. Logic. She appealed to his emotions, stating her desire to spare him the hurt he would feel – and was feeling – over what happened to Evan. But, Anderson didn’t care about any of that. He made that much clear.

“He was my best friend, Anna.”

She had stolen his chance to mourn the only person who had really known him, and she couldn’t give that back. She couldn’t give any of it back.

After the conversation, Anna wandered into the kitchen and snagged herself the largest bottle of alcohol that was left and continued her absent-minded path through the available areas of the CDC until she found herself sitting against the wall in a random hallway, drinking alone, sad and guilty. She had a lot to feel guilty for. At least, that’s what she had convinced herself of.

Shaking her head, Anna stumbled to her feet. The bottle of wine was getting too low and she wasn’t anywhere near done drowning her woes.

“If I stop drinking, I better be dying of alcohol poisoning,” she grumbled to the white walls as she felt her way back to the kitchen. She cursed under her breath when the only thing left was a small bottle of vodka – no larger than her hand – tucked in the back of a cupboard. She shoved it into her back pocket, laughing hatefully at how loose her pants were. She had lost so much weight – not eating regularly would do that to a person.

 

Anna was tugging up her pants back up around her hips when she finally made it back to the office that would serve as her room – unfortunately, Anderson would be there, too. She kicked the door open, tilting the bottle and her head back to try and get the last of the alcohol.

“The fuck is you doin’?” came a gruff voice from the dark.

Anna bristled. 

“What the fuck are you doing in my room?” she snapped, walking further inside – more like stumbled further in, but Anna was sure she was walking a straight enough line to be at least a little intimidating in the dark.

“This ain’t your room.” Anna guffawed and planted herself on what looked like the couch, completely ignoring the legs she had just sat on.

“Get off!” she squinted at the shape in the dark, while the two adjusted their seating so she was no longer on top of him.

“Daryl why are you in my room?”  She asked, more confused than hostile this time.

“You’re lost, kid. Your room is two down on the other side of the hall.”

Her hackles were up again.  “I’m not a kid!”

Daryl flinched away – though she didn’t notice in the dark.

“Whatever.”

“I’m not a kid! I’m going to be twenty-five in…what month is it?” Anna leaned forward, reaching for the bottle of vodka in her pocket, while trying to do calculations in her head. The numbers kept getting lost in the fog of drunkenness. “Shit…um, classes ended in May…. I was heading to Myrtle Beach in June…. Myrtle Beach….”  Then it started. The tears started pouring out of her eyes before she could stop them. A sob ripped from her throat, the bottle dropped to the floor, and she buried her face in her hands.

Daryl was very uncomfortable at the sudden changes in behavior Anna had, remembering when they had first encountered each other. He couldn’t help but wonder if she was bipolar. The sudden weight on his lap had him tensing. Anna was now curled up on the couch next to him, her head in his lap, and sobs shaking her body so hard that he thought she would break. Daryl had no idea what to do, at least nothing he was okay with doing, and he couldn’t fathom why she was crying.

“I should have gone to find them. Why didn’t I go to look for them?”  She choked out, her hand gripping his knee, as if doing so would anchor her. “I should have –”

“ _Should’ve_ gets nothing done.” Daryl stated calmly, trying to figure out where to put his hands. “It’s do or don’t, and you didn’t, so it’s done.”

Anna launched herself off his lap into a sitting position.

“It can’t be!” she pleaded. “I need to go.” Daryl finally relaxed, letting out a sigh, _Good, let her go back to her room –_ “I need to go find my family.” Daryl jumped off the couch and rushed forward, slamming and holding the door shut to keep her from leaving.

“You ain’t goin’ nowhere.” He growled, frustrated with the stupid decisions this kid seemed determined to make, drunk or sober.

“Daryl – are you flirting with me?”  She asked, her words still slurring. Through the dim light coming from the crack in the bathroom door, Daryl could see her face was red with tears, and her mouth pulled into a confused frown. “I thought I was a kid – you’re not a pedophile, are you?”

Daryl guffawed, roughly grabbing her elbow and leading her back to the couch.

“No. You ain’t goin’ back outside – not by yourself, ‘specially not while your drunk.” Forcing her to sit down, Daryl kicked the bottle across the room, not caring if there was any alcohol left. He plopped down beside her, suspicious of how still she was staying.

“Daryl…”  She mumbled. He tilted his head around, so he could get a clear view of her. Anna could barely keep her head up, obviously about to fall asleep, and Daryl was relieved to know he wouldn’t have to babysit her much longer. “Why did you save me?”

He stared at her, unable to answer. His eyes trailed down to the floor, trying to make sense of it himself. Suddenly, he felt something warm on his lips. Daryl’s eyes darted back to see that Anna was leaned into him, her lips pressed against his. He could taste the vodka and the wine – but, mostly, he could taste her salty tears. She pulled away from him, not seeming to have noticed or cared that he didn’t kiss her back, and she laid against the arm rest of the couch.

“I don’t deserve to be saved…, but thanks, anyway.”

He listened carefully to her breathing, and when it evened out, he rose from the couch, pulling her legs up to rest where he had previously been. Quietly, he laid the blanket he’d found over her, and settled himself on the ground in front of the couch. Daryl told himself it was because he didn’t want her waking up to sneak off to go get herself killed, but he couldn’t shake the feeling of Anna’s lips against his, no matter how many times he wiped at them.

 

When Anna woke up, she felt like vomit. Not like she was going to vomit – though, that was still an option – but actual vomit; like she had been consumed by some alcoholic monster and regurgitated into a pile of vomit and bile. Her mouth was an oxymoronic mixture of dry and greasy, and her eyes burned with exhaustion.

She sat up, the blanket falling off her shoulders, and looked around the room. A single light was on, the only source of light, as there were no windows in the underground office. There was no Anderson – but, she didn’t expect Anderson to be there. This wasn’t the office space they were sharing. This was Daryl’s office space.

Anna’s face paled as the events of last night played through her mind. The confrontation with Anderson, the excessive drinking, the crying – the kiss. She remembered everything distinctly, though through a haze of drunkenness. She remembered every word that spilled out of her, how she had tried to leave to find her family. She shook her head, trying to get the image of pressing her lips to Daryl’s out of her head.

Anna huffed, rising from the couch and approaching the door to the hall way. All of her belongings were in the office that she was supposed to have slept in last night.  Anna poked her head into the hall way, checking to see if anyone was walking about. When she saw no one, she sprinted for the door two down and on the other side of the hall. She entered and found it, too, was abandoned.

 

After Anna brushed her teeth and enjoyed one more shower to fight off her hangover, she made her way down to the kitchen. Everyone was seated around the dining table, T-Dog handing out plates of eggs and bacon. Glenn was hunched over his plate, his face buried in his hands as he groaned in pain. Well, at least she knew she wasn’t the only one.

Anna smiled, ready to sit beside the poor guy when she caught Anderson’s gaze. His eyes were blank as he looked at her. Unsure of what to do, Anna turned her back to him and poured herself a cup of coffee.

“Hey.” Anna glanced over to see Shane entering the dining hall.

Rick was the only one to respond to his greeting as he stood beside Anna at the counter. “Feel as bad as I do?” Rick asked.

“Worse.” Shane muttered. Anna took one look at Shane and decided he needed the coffee far more than she did, and she silently passed the cup to him.

“Uh, thank you.”

“No problem,” She shrugged, turning back to the table to sit between Dale and Glenn.

“The hell happened to you?” T-Dog asked, as he approached Anna to dish out some eggs for her. It took Anna a moment to realize the question was directed at Shane. “Your neck?” he clarified.

Shane sat down on the other side of Dale, beside Andrea, and Anna could clearly see four long scratches. 

“I must have done it in my sleep.” Anna’s brow furrowed, and she took a quick peak at Shane’s nails – they were short. Far too short to have managed such vicious scratches.

“Never seen you do that before.” Rick observed.

Shane swirled the coffee in his cup. 

“Me neither. Not like me at all.” Anna watched as Shane looked to Lori, who very pointedly kept her gaze on her food. She got an awful feeling in her chest, and she wasn’t quite sure what to do with it.

“Morning.” The attention of the room shifted as Doctor Jenner entered.

“Doctor,” Dale began, “I don’t mean to slam you with questions first thing –”

“But you will anyway.” Jenner sighed, pouring a cup of coffee.

Andrea was the next to speak.  “We didn’t come here for the eggs.”

Jenner turned to the group as Daryl entered the room. Anna tried to keep the blush from rising to her cheeks as she watched Daryl take a seat across from her.

Jenner sighed and turned on his heel to leave. 

“Follow me.”

Without much fuss, everyone rose from their seats and trailed after Jenner. Before he could follow at the back of the group, Anna took hold of Daryl’s arm, gently pulling him to a stop. Realizing that she was touching him, she let go, feeling her face heat.

She searched her brain for what to say, unsure when exactly she had decided to speak with Daryl about last night. Unfortunately, now that she had gotten him alone – again – she was on the spot.

“I – uh…” Anna took a deep breath, and looked him in the eyes, her nerves gaining the upper hand as he stared at her, waiting. “I just wanted to apologize.” His face remained impassive and she began to stammer, fidgeting with her fingers as she switched her weight from one foot to the other. “You know for… last night.” Anna began to chew on her bottom lip as she waited for a response.

“Whatever.” She stared after Daryl as he turned away and left, disappearing through the threshold the others had already passed through, leaving her alone in the dining hall.


	21. Chapter Twenty

Anna stared in awe at the synapsis, firing off electrical impulses through the brain displayed on the screen. This was a vigil. Test Subject Nineteen.

In the first event, they watched as the beautiful blue pulses were overcome by darkness, like something taking root in the brain – the infection – until there was no more light. “Everything you ever were or ever will be… gone.”

Anna felt her heart constrict. The thought of Evan Magnus invaded her mind, much like the infection.

“Is that what happened to Jim?” Sophia asked, her small voice breaking through the quiet.

Andrea’s face paled. 

“She lost someone two days ago… her sister.” Lori explained as Jenner looked to her, confused.

“I lost someone too. I know how devastating it is.”  He said, attempting to comfort her.

Anna looked at Anderson. His cold eyes were trained on the monitor, on the dark brain displayed for them. She knew that he, too, was thinking of Evan, and she was overwhelmed with guilt at the pain she had caused him.

“Scan to the second event.”

“Scanning to second event.” Vi confirmed.

“The resurrection times vary wildly.” Jenner said as the image loaded. “We had reports of it happening in as little as three minutes.” Anna thought back to the man on the tarmac – the first time she had ever seen the dead come back to life. _Three minutes…_ she thought. “The longest we heard of was eight hours.” She thought of Evan, after he had finally succumbed to his wound.   She hadn’t kept track of how long it took for him to finally return. “In the case of this patient, it was two hours, one minute…seven seconds.”

An orange light sparked. “It restarts the brain?” Lori asked, astonished.

“No, just the brain stem.” Jenner clarified. “Basically, it gets them up and moving.”

“But they’re not alive?” Rick asked, stepping forward.

“You tell me.” Jenner replied.

“It’s nothing like before.” Rick began. “Most of that brain is dark.”

“Dark, lifeless, dead.” Jenner agreed. “The frontal lobe, the neocortex, the human part – that doesn’t come back. The _you_ part. Just a shell, driven by mindless instinct.”

_Anna aimed the gun at her friend, “Evan! Please, just stop!” she cried, the tears falling freely. “Please!” He drew closer to her, his eyes hungry. “Evan!” Her hands shook, the gun unsteady, her heart pumping ice through her veins and thudding in her ears, but all she could truly hear was Evan – growling. “Please….”_

Anna sucked in air and withdrew to the back of the group, unwilling to let the others see the tears that had started streaming down her face.

“God.”

“What was that?”

Anna looked back to see that a funnel had made its way through the brain of Test Subject Nineteen.

“He shot his patient in the head. Didn’t you?”

Jenner didn’t answer.  “Vi, power down the main screen and the workstations.”

“Powering down main screen and workstations.” Vi confirmed.

“You have no idea what it is, do you?” Andrea asked, arms crossed, as if accusing Jenner of being the cause for all their suffering.

“It could be microbial, viral, parasitic, fungal –” Jenner listed.

“Or the wrath of God?” Jacqui asked.

“There is that…” Jenner agreed.

“Somebody must know something.” Andrea insisted. “Somebody somewhere.”

“There are others, right? Other facilities?”

“There may be some. People like me.” Jenner stated, but his tone did nothing to reassure the others.

“But you don’t know?” Rick tried to keep the panic out of his voice.  “How can you not know?”

Jenner seemed to grow more exhausted with their questioning, as if they should already understand. 

“Everything went down. Communications, directives – all of it. I’ve been in the dark for almost a month.”

_– We’re sorry, the number you are trying to reach is unavailable. Please leave a message after the tone. –_

Anna felt her body begin to shake, and she drew further away from the group, obscuring herself in the shadows. Everyone absorbed the latest information in several ways; some prayed, some wept, some stared in abject horror.  Daryl decided he would get “shitfaced drunk.”

Dale, on the other hand, had just one more question.

“Dr. Jenner, I know this has been taxing for you and I hate to ask one more question, but…that clock – it’s counting down. What happens at zero?” The group looked to the clock that read in digital red numbers 59:59.

Jenner seemed reluctant to answer.  “The basement generators – they run out of fuel.”

“And then?” Rick asked. Jenner didn’t respond, choosing instead to walk away.

“Vi, what happens when the power runs out?”

It took a moment for Vi to respond. Anna, alone in the shadows, trying desperately to control her breathing, thought about all the things the CDC had in its arsenal, what those diseases would mean for the last of humanity if they ever got out.

“When the power runs out, facility-wide decontamination will occur.”


	22. Chapter Twenty-One

Anderson went with Glenn, T-Dog, Rick and Shane to check on the generators in the basement, while everyone else returned to their rooms; Daryl with a bottle of Jack Daniels.

Anna paced back and forth in the office that served as her and Anderson’s room, her mind racing a mile a minute, recalling everything that had happened since she got on that plane. The world was dangerous, life would be short, and it would end painfully.

“I have no business in a world like that.” Anna stated, her chest heavy. “I mean – I need an inhaler for crying out loud! I don’t belong in this new world – I’m broken!”

 _And you’ll only get everyone else killed._ Anna squeezed her eyes shut, as if doing so would keep the intrusive thought from continuing. _Don’t you remember? You were supposed to help Glenn in Atlanta, and he was taken. You almost got hit by that car, you were almost killed – if it hadn’t been for Daryl risking his life to save you, you’d be dead – you nearly got him killed too._

Anna shook her head, pounding her fists against her forehead.

“No…, that’s not… true.”

_You dropped your inhaler and that man gave you his – he’s probably dead by now because of you. You’re so selfish._

“Shut up!” Anna grabbed the lamp on the small table beside the couch and flung it across the room, the chord ripping out of the wall. The sound of it shattering spurred her on. She grabbed for anything she could get her hands on and threw it. She chucked the couch cushions and turned over the couch, picked up a chair and smashed it against the wall, leaving a sizable hole in the dry wall.

_Evan was your fault, too. You let his wound get infected, and you couldn’t even put him down after he turned – You’re so pathetic._

There was finally nothing left for her to throw or break, and Anna stood panting amidst the chaos she had created. It was as if an angry bull had torn through the room.

“I deserve this,” she decided.

_Always so selfish._

“Anna.” She looked up to see Anderson standing in the threshold of the destroyed office. He held their backpacks in each hand.

“I won’t ask what happened in here,” he said, holding out her backpack for her.

“What’s going on?” she asked, taking it from him. He walked further into the room, setting the bag down on the overturned couch as he began to rifle through the mess and gather their belongings.

“The generators are out of power.” He explained, watching as Anna steadied herself on the legs of the couch.

Anna heaved a sigh, her heart slowly steadying in her chest. 

“So, what? We leave?”

Anderson nodded and dropped his bag to the ground at his feet.  He crossed his arms over his chest.

“That’s the plan. Why? Do you have other ideas?”

Anna opened her mouth to bite back a reply, but a sudden _whirring_ interrupted the conversation. The two looked up to the vent; the air-conditioner had shut off.

Anderson’s face paled. He turned on his heel and ripped the door open.

“Why is the air off? And the lights in our room?” Anna heard Carol ask from the hallway. She approached the doorway just as Jenner walked past.

“What’s going on? Why is everything turned off?” Daryl asked. Anna stepped out of the office beside Anderson, deliberately keeping her eyes off Daryl as the group followed Jenner down the hall.

“Energy use is being prioritized.”

“Air isn’t a priority? And light?” Dale asked, incredulous.

Jenner took a drink from the bottle he had apparently taken from Daryl. 

“It’s not up to me. Zone five is shutting itself down.”

“Hey! Hey, what the hell does that mean? Hey, man, I’m talking to you. What do you mean it’s shutting itself down? How can a building do anything?

Anderson scoffed to himself and muttered.  “You’d be surprised.”

The group made their way down the set of stairs to the observation room. Anna wrapped her arms around herself as she watched Rick, Shane, Glenn and T-Dog run into the room toting flashlights.

“Rick?” Lori called, looking down over the railing.

Rick held his hand out, as if to tell her to stay put. 

“Jenner, what’s happening?”

“The system is dropping all the nonessential uses of power. It’s designed to keep the computers running to the last possible second. That started as we approached the half-hour mark. Right on schedule.” Jenner gestured to the countdown clock, the red numbers reading 00:31:28 as they entered the observation room.

Jenner paused at the stairs to the workstations as he took another drink and handed the bottle back to Daryl. “It was the French.” Jenner stated, looking to Andrea.

“What?” she asked.

Jenner elaborated.  “They were the last ones to hold out as far as I know. While our people were bolting out the doors and committing suicide in the hallways, they stayed in the labs till the end. They thought they were close to a solution.”

“What happened?” Jacqui pushed.

“The same thing that’s happening here. No power grid. Ran out of juice. The world runs on fossil fuel. I mean, how stupid is that?”

Shane bounded up the steps after Jenner.  “Let me tell you –”

Rick pulled on Shane’s shoulder, keeping him at bay. 

“To hell with it, Shane. I don’t even care.” He turned, pointing his flashlight at Lori.  “Lori, grab our things.  Everybody get your stuff. We’re getting out of here now!” He shouted, and everyone jumped into action.

As Anna backed away to head to the offices, an alarm began blaring. She covered her ears at the sudden onslaught of noise.

“Thirty minutes to decontamination.”  Came the robotic unfeeling voice of Vi. The large viewing screen at the front of the room displayed the countdown clock, including the horrifically fast-paced milliseconds.

“Doc, what’s going on here?”

“Everybody, y’all heard Rick. Get your stuff and let’s go! Go now! Go!”

“Let’s go.”

“Come on!”

Anna wasn’t even sure who was speaking anymore. She held her hands over her ears and continued to stare as the milliseconds raced down, her heart dropping as their time dwindled away. She had the vague awareness that they had been sealed inside the observation room, and she found that she had a distinct lack of concern.

With a quiet sigh, Anna secluded herself in a corner, pulling her knees close to her chest, uncovering her ears as the alarm ceased. She watched helplessly as Daryl aimed to smash the bottle against Jenner’s head, as Rick, Shane and T-Dog pulled him away.

“Jenner, open that door now.” Rick demanded.

“There’s no point. Everything topside is locked down. The emergency exits are sealed.”

“Well, open the damn things.” Dale pleaded.

 “That’s not something I control. The computers do. I told you once that front door closed, it wouldn’t open again. You heard me say that…. It’s better this way.”

“What is? What happens in 28 minutes?” Jenner ignored Rick and turned to type at his computer. “What happens in 28 minutes?!” Rick screamed.

Shane kicked the chair from under Jenner, who stood up and began a tirade Anna already understood. 

“You know what this place is?! We protected the public from very nasty stuff! Weaponized smallpox! Ebola strains that could wipe out half the country! Stuff you don’t want getting out! Ever!” Jenner took a breath and sat down once again.  “In the event of a catastrophic power failure – in a terrorist attack, for example – H.I.T.s are deployed to prevent any organisms from getting out.”

Rick was dumbstruck at the verbal lashing.

“H.I.T.s?”  He asked.

“Vi, define.” Jenner commanded.

“H.I.T.s – high-impulse thermobaric fuel-air explosives consist of a two-stage aerosol ignition that produces a blast wave of significantly greater power and duration than any other known explosive except nuclear.”

Anna could see the confusion on some of her companions faces.

“The vacuum-pressure effect ignites the oxygen at between 5,000* and 6,000* and is useful when the greatest loss of life and damage to structures is desired.” Vi stated. All around the room, people gasped and cried and prayed as they tried to process the information.

Anna was the only one who bothered to speak plainly.

“It sets the air on fire…”  She clarified – although, she knew they understood the basic idea.

Jenner glanced around the room, “No pain. An end to sorrow, grief…regret. Everything.”

Anna agreed.


	23. Chapter Twenty-Two

Anna watched as Jenner whispered something in Rick’s ear – Rick looking appalled at whatever Jenner had revealed to him – and everyone snatched up their bags and ran for the stairs. Everyone except Jacqui, Andrea and Jenner. She also remained seated as Anderson set off towards the previously sealed doors. He turned back briefly to check if Anna was behind him. When he noticed her absence, he swiveled his head around the room searching for her until his dark eyes landed on her figure against the console near Andrea.

Anderson picked up her abandoned bag and jogged over to her, before tossing the bag into her lap.

“Let’s go, what are you doing?”  He asked, ready to turn back to the doors.

“I’m not going.”

“Yes, you are.” Anderson snapped, crouching down to look Anna in the eyes from where she sat, leaning against an abandoned console away from the others.

Anna rolled her eyes, feeling the rate of her heart increase.

“Why should I?”  She ignored the begging tone that came out of her mouth. She didn’t want a reason to keep going. She wanted a reason to stay.

            Anderson paused a moment, taking his time in constructing his sentence, like he always did. Anna considered how she was going to miss that.

“I promised Evan I would keep you safe.”

“Why? Evan is dead!” Anna couldn’t stop the laughter that erupted from her chest. Her whole body shook with the sickening amusement at the ridiculous notion. “Why are you trying so hard to a keep a promise to a ghost?”

“Anna….” Anderson began, his tone warning.

“I’m not your sister, or his daughter. My family is dead. Everyone else is, too.” She was shouting now and shaking with every word. “If you want to leave, then fine. Go. But, leave me here – you’ll be better off. It’s my fault Evan is dead, and I’ll be the death of you, too—”

“It’s my decision, Dale. Not yours.” The pair looked to where Andrea and Dale were settled, arguing over the exact same thing.

Dale glanced momentarily at the countdown and sighed.

“Okay. You win.”

“What are you doing?” Andrea asked, looking incredulous as Dale took a seat opposite her.

“I said okay.”

Andrea shook her head.  “Don’t pull this, Dale,” She demanded.

Dale shook his head, gesturing as if he didn’t know what Andrea was referring to.

“I’m not pulling anything. If you’re staying, I stay too.” Anna’s stomach tightened. She couldn’t understand why anyone would want to give up just because someone else was. “Jenner’s right. We know what’s waiting for us out there. I don’t want to face it alone.”

 “Dale, get the Hell out. I don’t want you here.”

“Too bad. See, you don’t get to do that, to—to come into somebody’s life, make them care and then just check out. I’m staying. The matter is settled.”

Anna considered his words, wondering if this was how Anderson felt. _No…Anderson doesn’t care about me. It was just a ridiculous promise to a dead man._

 “Anna…, please…,” Anna turned back to Anderson as he continued pleading with her. “I need you. I need you to keep living. You’re the only thing I have left.”  He was no longer keeping his emotions under lock and key, no longer keeping up the stoic façade. “Of Evan…of before….” He whispered. “It’s not your fault. None of it is your fault, just please…, please come with me.”

Anderson reached out his hand, desperate for her to take it. Anna couldn’t deny she was desperate to reach out too.

 

When the two finally made it out of the CDC, following behind Dale and Andrea, Anna ran. She ran harder than she ever remembered running before. She took off past Anderson with his long legs, past Dale and his old age, past Andrea and her fit body. She could feel the rumbling under her feet as the H.I.T.s deployed behind them, and barely took notice when she barreled into Daryl.

His arm instinctively wrapped around her shoulders, quickly throwing her to the ground and covering her with his own body. She felt the heels of her palm scrap along the pavement and winced at the searing pain. Her ears filled with the sound of the explosion and she could feel the heat licking at her skin.

Once the rumbling ceased, and the heat dissipated, the group finally chanced a look over their shoulders to take in the smoldering rubble of their last hope.

 

 

Daryl flinched away from Anna the moment he realized he was holding her to the ground. She didn’t seem to notice him at all as she and the others looked to the destroyed CDC. He knew just as much as the others that they had to leave the area immediately, the noise of the explosion no doubt attracting every walker for hundreds of miles.

No words were exchanged amongst the group, everyone silently climbing into their vehicles. Daryl looked to Anna, who had a dazed expression plastered across her face as she strode away from him and hauled herself into T-Dogg’s truck after Glenn.

“Daryl.” He turned his attention to find Anderson approaching him. “Do you mind if I ride with you?” Anderson asked. Daryl took in the exhausted expression on the normally stoic man’s face and ignored the slightly cleaner streaks down his cheeks. Daryl simply nodded, and they climbed into his truck.

The caravan started up once everyone had settled into their respective vehicles and turned back the way they had come. Everyone knew without anyone having to say a thing that they were now headed to Fort Benning – if they could even make it that far before the next catastrophe.

Once it seemed they had made it far enough away from the CDC, the caravan pulled off to the side of the road. Rick somehow managed to convince Shane and the others to head into the city and take a moment of reprieve with the Vatos. Those who hadn’t already met the group were apprehensive, worried that their run of bad-luck would continue with a violent encounter with the strangers. Rick, and even Anderson, assured that the Vatos were not a threat. And so, the caravan made its way into city limits, driving slowly to not attract any unwanted attention.

The open gate of the courtyard put a sour taste in Daryl’s mouth. He steadied his crossbow, loading a bolt, and began his approach towards the courtyard. He tensed when he saw movement to his left and whipped around to aim a shot at a walker. Only, it wasn’t a walker. It was Anna, hunting knife in hand. His heart clenched uncomfortably when he saw the hollow look on her face.

He and the others followed close behind her.  Shane and Rick took the lead, their long legs carrying them faster than Anna’s considerably shorter stature.

Daryl kept his eyes on her, seeing just how reckless she was behaving. He watched as she plunged her knife into the forehead of a walker, distracted by the dark blood that splattered across her face. He noted the tears steadily streaming down her face and the emptiness of her eyes. What he didn’t notice, however, was a thin walker approaching her from behind. It grabbed hold of her pony-tail and yanked her head back. Anna let out a soft yelp and reached around to stab at her captor, only managing to cut its cheek before Daryl released a bolt into the side of its head.

His heart gave another clench at the sight of her hair falling around her shoulders in wild waves, obscuring half of her heated face. She gave him a nod of appreciation before turning to the walker and pausing. She knelt down and moved its head around to face her. Daryl approached cautiously.

“Miguel.”  She whispered. Daryl furrowed his brow and felt his stomach drop when he took in the walker’s face. It was the teenager – Miguel – that they had captured to exchange for Glenn.

 

The further into the compound the group went, the more reckless and desperate Anna became. It was as if she was looking for something but, she wasn’t quite sure what yet. Only when she reached the gymnasium did she finally realize.

She had recognized the people underneath the rotting flesh; Miguel, so young and vulnerable; Guillermo, the good man disguised as a hard ass; Felipe, the man who nearly killed her to protect the ones he loved; Abuela, the old women who looked far too much like Anna’s own grandmother; and all the others. She recited their names in her head like a mantra. It was when she found Mr. Gilbert, lying on the ground of the gymnasium, his chair overturned, and head split open, that Anna finally fell to her knees in defeat.

 _How did it come to this?_ Anna asked herself, trying to hold back the hot tears that were already streaming down her face. _How did I let this happen?_ She wasn’t sure what exactly she was referring to. Her complete breakdown, her attempted suicide, the deaths of all these innocent people, or just the end of times in general. Regardless of what it was, she knew only one thing to be absolutely true;

 _It’s all my fault_.


	24. Author's Note

That's the end of this installment!

Thank you all so much for reading my content, I hope you enjoyed it!

Huge thanks to my friend for editing the story and for all of the encouragement and support!

You can follow me on twitter at PandaTurtle333 (@PTurtle333) for more information, to ask questions, receive updates, share ideas or even just chat!

See you all in the next installment titled "In Search of A Harbor."

 

\- PandaTurtle333

**Author's Note:**

> I finally finished this! I sent it to my friend who's going to school to be an editor - so now I feel like it's finally ready. I am posting the whole story in one go because I'm impatient.
> 
> Please, feel free to comment, message or any other form of communication that is made available. I would love to hear some feedback!
> 
> All recognizable works and products are the property of their respective owners (The Walking Dead belongs to its creators and AMC).
> 
> Original Character List:
> 
> Anna Wycoff
> 
> Marley Herring
> 
> Evan Magnus
> 
> Tyler Anderson


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